Love's Honor
by Dianna Silver
Summary: AU Touga x Utena fic. Set in the legendary Britain of King Arthur's day, a young Touga Kiryuu saves a little rose-haired girl from drowning one stormy evening. Years later, the two cross paths yet again. What is the secret that binds them?
1. Prelude

Author's Note: This is an alternate universe fic, blending together the threads of the romances of King Arthur's legendary Britian and the various versions of Revolutionary Girl Utena. The characters are an amalgamation of their anime, manga, movie and movie manga selves, and the setting is in a medieval Britian full of magic and wonder. Hopefully you'll find this exercise in synthesis an enjoyable read.  
  
  
Love's Honor  
  
Prelude  
  
  
The clouds hung darkly over the landscape, their looming black-gray forms threatening rain. Two pairs of eyes looked up —- one brilliant blue, one deepest violet —- and matching expressions of dismay crossed their young faces. It was springtime in the highlands, and that meant swiftly gathering and sometimes violent storms. That it had been partly sunny and warmer when they had left the clanhold didn't mean anything. They should have kept a better watch on the weather.  
  
"We really should head home," the violet-eyed youth said, turning his gaze to his taller, scarlet-haired companion. "Father will—"  
  
"I'm well aware what Father will do, Saionji," the redheaded boy responded. A stiff gust of wind swirled through the clearing, making the silken strands of both shoulder-length manes —- one wavy, forest green hair, the other straight and scarlet-red—dance in the wake of the whistling breeze. The chief of the Kiryuu Clan would be less than pleased to have his sons —- one a fosterling, the other his only begotten male child —- caught out away from the clanhold during what promised to be one hell of a storm. "Come on. The horses should be nearby."  
  
Saionji glanced around. Though the surrounding light was dimming fast, the storm cutting off what sun there was in this hour just before twilight, he could tell that their weapons practice hadn't taken them too far from the well-worn dirt path that lead first up the ridge and then down into the glen of Clan Kiryuu. Thunder and Lightning, the two rouncies they had ridden, were tethered to trees just to the side of that earthen path. Pointing in the general direction from which he thought they had entered the clearing, the shorter of the boys asked, "That way, right, Touga?"  
  
"I believe so," the redheaded youth agreed. Hefting up his blunted practice sword, the long-legged boy started walking off in the indicated direction at a swift pace.  
  
"Hey, wait up!" Saionji called out, dashing after his foster brother. Overhead, a bright flash of blue-white light illuminated the forested hillside, a loud rolling peal of thunder echoing over the glens almost right afterwards.  
  
If Touga heard the other boy's shout, he gave no indication as he half-strode, half-trotted into the thick underbrush that separated clearing from trail. Emerging out of the lush greenery, he scanned over the area with his brilliant azure gaze, his eyes still adjusting to the sudden change in illumination. Though he was looking for the two rouncies, he thought he saw the flash of something down the trail a ways, at a place where he knew it curved alongside a short dropoff to a lake below. If the horses had pulled their reins loose somehow and were dashing down toward the lake, he and his foster brother would be in even more trouble. Muttering something under his breath, the tall boy erupted into a sprint, his mane of thick red hair rippling in the wake of his passage.  
  
"Touga! What are you doing?" Saionji shouted as he ran after his foster brother.  
________________  
  
Another branch scratched her face, but she didn't care. How long she'd run into the forest didn't matter either. All that mattered was somehow getting away from the horrible, aching hollowness she felt inside. Stumbling forward, her little body continuing to be wracked by her sobs and gasps for breath, she barely felt the twinge as a number of strands of her fine, rose-colored hair were pulled from her head by the cruel grasp of a bush.  
  
They were gone. Never again would she see either one of them. The finality of that had at last dawned on her, shaking her entire world. Mother and father both were no more, leaving her essentially alone in the world. How could they have left her like this, all alone in a strange land? They had said that they had loved her, that they would always be there to take care of her. And now they were gone.  
  
Lightning flashed; thunder rumbled loud and long. Startled, the little girl looked up, noticing the lowering storm for the first time. Not that it mattered. Nothing really mattered anymore. Pushing on ahead, she did her best to not think about the gathering storm or the swiftly approaching night. The forest was a dangerous place, true enough, but she missed them so much, she didn't mind the thought of dying. A moment of fear and pain, and then she'd never be alone again. New tears making her large blue eyes shimmer, she sobbed again and broke into a shambling run.  
  
The ground suddenly gave out from under her; with a sudden thrill of pure terror, she felt the dirt crumbling under the soles of her leather shoes. A shrill little scream sounded from her as she abruptly felt herself falling. Then that was cut short as her young body hit the surface of the cold water, the splash tossing silvery drops onto the wind-tossed lake.  
________________  
  
"Did you hear that?" Touga shouted as he ran toward the place where the dirt trail skirted along the steep hillside to the lake below. Another brilliant flash of lightning momentarily blinded him, causing him to come to a sudden stop. He was too near the edge to safely continue without being able to see.  
  
"Hear what?" Saionji yelled back, violet eyes blinking with the afterimage of the lightning. Managing to notice that his foster brother had come to a halt, he dug his feet into the ground to brake his own forward momentum just as another loud peal of thunder rattled their location. And with that came the promised rain, the heavens opening up with a sudden deluge.  
  
The redheaded boy frowned, certain he had heard someone cry out in fear. His eyes adjusted again to the rapidly darkening light, he scanned along the edge of the road as best he could through the driving rain. Something caught his eye and he moved forward, gasping softly as he realized what it was he was seeing. The ground had given way here at the edge, the weight of something causing it to crumble. Even as he watched, the pounding rain was making more of the dirt disappear, washing it away to the lake waiting down below.  
  
"What did you hear?" the green-haired youth asked again, loping up toward the other boy.  
  
Turning swiftly, Touga hissed at his foster brother, "Careful! The edge is washing out! Don't get too close!"  
  
"Sorry..." Saionji muttered, scowling a bit. One glance over at the area indicated by the other boy and he was instantly contrite. Touga was right; the ground there was obviously dangerous.  
  
Azure eyes focused on the treacherous earth, Touga inched his way closer to the edge. He couldn't get rid of the feeling that he had heard someone scream. The rain plastered his hair to his head, and ran in thin rivulets down his neck and under his tunic.  
  
"Touga! Don't!" the other boy called out, realizing the redhead's intent. If anything should happen to the heir to the clan, Saionji was sure that he'd be throttled by the Kiryuu for not discouraging his foster brother from doing something stupid.  
  
"I have to see, Saionji," Touga responded, making his way forward another step. Another look to the place where the ground was washing out reassured him that he wasn't in any immediate danger. Inwardly nodding in satisfaction, the boy turned his gaze to the churning surface of the water below. Hissing softly, the youth turned and braced himself. He didn't care if it was rash or foolish. In fact, he gave his choice little thought at all.  
  
Violet eyes widening in horror, Saionji watched as the other boy deliberately dived off the thirty-foot high elevation. "Touga!" he shouted, all to no avail. The tall, redheaded form disappeared from sight; only the sound of the pounding rain and another roll of thunder answered the green-haired youth's shout.  
________________  
  
Arms flailing, legs kicking, the little girl fought against the chilly embrace of the wind-swept liquid. Even so, she could feel it making her clothes heavier, weighing her down. Each movement of her limbs became progressively weaker as fatigue set in. She could feel the rain beating down on her head along with the frantic splashing her own efforts to keep herself above the surface, the hissing sound punctuating the noise her flailing was producing.  
  
(Why am I fighting this so?) she suddenly thought. (If I give up, I can be with Mommy and Daddy again. Going on living without them makes me sick... So tired now anyway...) Closing her eyes, she stopped her struggling. An unnatural calmness filled her as she felt herself slip under the surface into the icy embrace of the lake.  
________________  
  
(Oh god, Father's going to kill me!) Saionji frantically thought, violet eyes huge in fear. Standing as near to the edge as he dared, the heavens continuing to deluge him, his green hair dripping wet and plastered to his head, the youth stared down the steep embankment and searched for any sign of the other boy. Ever since he had become aware of the fact that he was not a Kiryuu, he had had the dubious knowledge that his life would be forfeit if ever a member of his blood clan broke the truce imposed upon them by their loss to Clan Kiryuu of the blood feud between them. Originally brought to the Kuryuu clanhold as a hostage —- the fact that he was called by his clan name and not by his given name was a taunt, at least in the beginning, of the fact that he would one day be the Saionji and leader of a conquered clan —- it had been Touga's idea to claim him as a foster brother instead. So true had their friendship been that the Kiryuu, Touga's father, had reluctantly made Saionji's de facto foster status legitimate, but never once did the verdant-maned boy forget that his blood would spill should anyone from Clan Saionji cross the will of the Kiryuu.  
  
No doubt that the Kiryuu would probably lop off his head in a fit of rage should he come home with Touga either missing or drowned. There was still no sign in the rain-spattered lake of the scarlet-haired heir to the most powerful clan in the immediate area.  
  
Groaning, Saionji tore his violet gaze from the wind-tossed surface of the water below and scanned down the rain-slicked dirt trail. From what he recalled, the road continued down the ridge to the valley in which the lake resided. Breaking out into a sprint, the boy headed down the road, careful to stay away from the edge overlooking the lake. Maybe Touga had already made it to shore and was even now waiting for his foster brother at the foot of the cliff-like embankment? Clinging to that ray of hope, the youth ran onward.  
________________  
  
(Where am I? Am I in heaven?)  
  
Huge blue eyes looked around, an expression that was as much bewilderment as fright on the little girl's cherubic face. Stray wisps of her rose-colored hair floated around her as she turned a slow circle, not recognizing anything at all. There was no impression of surroundings of any sort, just a mysterious grayness that loomed around her. "Mommy? Daddy? Are you here?"  
  
Nothing answered her; a profound silence was all of which she was aware. Being as brave as possible and holding back a whimper of terror, the little girl started walking forward in that featureless place, bright blue gaze darting around for any sign of where she could be. "Mommy! Daddy!"  
  
Up ahead, she suddenly thought she could see something, a brilliant whiteness in that unrelenting gray. Tiny feet picking up their pace, the girl ran forward, wanting to see what that brilliance could be. It wasn't until she was almost next to it that she realized what it was she was staring at, and she came to a halt with a gasp.  
  
The whiteness was a bier, a three-foot high rectangle of silvery-gray veined white marble, the corners and edges of each side decorated with a carving in high relief of intricately entwined rose canes, the sculpted stone roses looking to have delicate, almost translucent, petals. On top of the stand lay the unmoving form of a man, his tall, lean, perfectly proportioned body clad in princely clothes of gold- and ruby-adorned white. Though his hands were arranged resting one upon another atop his still chest, the corner of his scarlet-lined white half-cape hung down over the side of the bier, a splash of brilliant red against the snowy whiteness of his clothing and the stone upon which he rested.  
  
Her breath catching in her throat, the rose-haired girl made her way carefully up to stand next to where the man's head rested against the cold stone. He was absolutely beautiful, much as angels were wont to be, his face —- so still and peaceful in death —- as perfect as the rest of him. Silvery hair the palest shade of lavender framed that gorgeous visage, the strands cut short and feathered along the sides of his head, the whole only descending as far as the nape of his neck. On his right shoulder, an ornate brooch of gold and rubies fastened his white half-cape to his equally snowy tunic. Though he looked like he was sleeping, the little girl somehow knew he was actually dead; her own existence touched so recently by that specter made her somewhat familiar with the manifestations of the absence of life.  
  
(Who is he?) she wondered, part of her drawn toward such a beautiful sight and another part of her repelled by the presence of death. Sadness and pity both filled her little heart as she became aware of death's universal claim; even the angels were susceptible to being cut down by that eternal blade.  
  
A sound caught her attention, something that seemed to be a faint moan of pain. Her melancholy visage turning to one of puzzlement, the girl looked about herself for the source of the noise. Further on, another spot of illumination caught her eye, one that she was sure wasn't there a moment ago. Again determined to be brave, the child walked past the fallen angel, toward the light.  
  
The light was ruddy, the color of blood and danger. Blue eyes huge, the girl made her way toward the red radiance. Within the pool of color she could see steps leading up to a silhouetted form that twitched and writhed in agony. Peering into the light at the figure, it took her long moments before she realized what it was she was seeing. All she could do was stand and stare in horrified dread.  
  
Roses. Glimmering petals of what looked to be silver and gold adorned what appeared to be sinister, vine-like canes, their thorns as large and sharp as small daggers. The formidable plants were entwined around the writhing, softly moaning form, every tiny movement embedding the points of those canes deeper into flayed and bleeding flesh. Blood, sweat and tears mixed together into a pitiful liquid that shimmered like dew on the deceptively beautiful blooms. The girl being so horribly tortured was every bit as beautiful as the dead man behind on the white marble bier, her long deep violet hair curling around her otherwise nude form and entwined within the cruel vines, her large emerald eyes glazed over in agony.  
  
The rose-haired child gasped, small hands coming up to cover her mouth. (Who is she?) the girl wondered, unable to comprehend why anyone would deserve such terrible treatment.  
  
"She is Love," answered a soft voice.  
  
Jumping in startlement, her voice giving off a faint squeak of surprise, the blue- and white-dressed little girl whirled around, searching for the source of the words. "Love?" she repeated, her own voice sounding tiny and quavering.  
  
"Yes, the spirit of Love," responded the disembodied voice. It sounded melodious, like that of a youthful man. "The hatred of the world binds her, the poison of the thorns make her agony that much more."  
  
"What—what happened to her?" the girl asked, still looking around.  
  
"Her champion is no more, and without his protection, the hatred of the world caught her in its grasp."  
  
"Her... champion?"  
  
"The one who lies in eternal sleep was the one sworn to protect her, to keep her light of hope from fading in the world," the bodiless voice replied, seemingly coming from everywhere at once. "But he grew ill with the effort. She so loved him that she sacrificed herself to save him, but she lost him anyway as hatred destroyed him. All she has left is her suffering."  
  
Turning to stare up at the writhing girl in the middle of her deceptively beautiful prison, the little girl's lower lip quivered as tears puddled up in her large azure eyes. "Too cruel," she sobbed, seeing an aching and a suffering far worse than her own. "Why should she be hurt when she tried to save her champion?"  
  
"It wasn't her place. In trying to take up his burden, she neglected her own, little one," came the answer from the gentle voice. "She no longer trusted him, which made him vulnerable to the wiles of hatred. He was destroyed, and that left her defenseless. Hatred has her in its grasp, trying now to extinguish the light of Love from the world."  
  
"Too cruel!" the child insisted, suddenly running toward the four-stepped dais over which the dreadful vision of the rose-entwined girl hovered. Tears streaming down her cherubic face, she dashed up the stairs —- only to find herself suddenly flying backwards as her little body was stopped by an invisible but immovable force. Stunned, she laid there a moment, her only thought focused on finding *some* way of rescuing Love from her horrid imprisonment.  
  
"Only Love's Honor can free her."  
  
Sniffling, the little girl lifted up her rose-colored head. (Love's Honor?) she wondered, looking around.  
  
The sudden flash of a ruby glimmer caught her attention and held it. Hastily wiping her eyes, the child slowly got to her leather-shoed feet, the red glitter beckoning her onward. Retracing her steps, her reddened eyes widened as she saw what was making the shimmering dance of scarlet light.  
  
She stood now on the other side of the bier, once again looking upon the dead form of the angelic man who had once been Love's champion. Lying alongside his white-clad body was the most gorgeous sword she had ever seen. The long blade gleamed like the brightest of silver, the dual edges appearing razor sharp and deadly. The ornate golden hilt was decorated with numerous tiny rubies that glittered with a brilliant fire, the pommelstone being a large ruby cut into a perfectly smooth sphere and trapped within a golden cage at the apex of the hilt. The crosspieces were carved on either side with the image of two rings linked into the symbol for eternity, while on each end of the quillions was embedded into the gold an impressive ruby formed into the shape of a heart. The sword as a whole faintly glimmered with a quiescent power that the little girl could almost see and feel. Without the voice replying, she somehow knew that the sword was called Love's Honor, and that that blade was what the voice meant when it said that Love's Honor could free the suffering spirit.  
  
An abrupt flare of hope filled her. Maybe that's why she was here, to take up the sword and save the agonized girl. Her expression suddenly determined, the rose-haired child grabbed at the hilt of the glimmering weapon. Once again she met with an unseen and unforgiving force, the resulting shock flinging her little body to the ground and making her hand sting. (No! It wasn't fair!)  
  
"Little one, so noble of heart, the sword was not meant for you," the disembodied voice gravely stated.  
  
"Then who gets it? Who can help her?" the girl sobbed, once again dissolving into tears at the cruelty of it all.  
  
"A new champion must be found, a man worthy to wield the blade. Only then can Love be saved."  
  
"I'll become worthy and save her myself!"  
  
"Even if you keep that noble heart, you will one day soon become a lady. The sword was not meant for girl nor woman, and to try to wield it would only compound Love's original mistake."  
  
The child quieted her crying into soft sniffles, almost instantly contrite. She wanted to save the other girl, not make things worse. "Then I'll find someone worthy of the sword. I'll see to it that Love is saved."  
  
"Such a gentle and caring child," murmured the soft voice. "Should you retain your kind and noble heart, you may indeed find the one worthy to be the new champion, though I fear you will forget all about this place."  
  
"I *won't* forget! I'll find the one to save her!" the little girl insisted.  
  
There was a long pause, the very atmosphere in that gray and featureless twilight giving her the impression that something was being thought over and decided. Then the quiet voice from seemingly everywhere at once spoke again. "Look to the fallen champion. Do you see the brooch he wears?"  
  
Big blue eyes looked over the still form of the angelic man, focusing on the gold and ruby-adorned piece of jewelry that fastened the half-cape together. "Yes," she replied, her gaze lingering over the intricate knotwork around the four heart shaped rubies set into the golden surface in a cross, their pointed bases all touching in the center of the design.  
  
"Take the brooch as a memento of this time and place. Should you remain as noble and kind a lady as you are now as a girl, then it will surely lead you back to this place. If you can return here, then by letting your heart be your guide, you shall find the one that can free Love from her unending torment."  
  
Swallowing hard in nervousness, tiny fingers reached up and carefully worked the brooch's fastening loose from the dead man's clothing. Tugging it from the snowy-white cloth, the rose-haired girl gently cradled the beautiful piece of jewelry in her hands.  
  
Now she had something for which to live, a reason to continue her existence.  
  
No longer would she meekly surrender to death.  
  
Her hands tightening around the golden brooch, she turned and looked back at the weakly struggling form bound tightly by the horrid roses. Pain-filled and clouded eyes of purest emerald gazed back at her, and in that brief moment, the little girl understood what true, never-ending suffering could actually be.  
________________  
  
"Touga!" the verdant-haired youth called out yet again, the sound of the pouring rain hissing through the lush forest foliage and dimpling the surface of the wind-rippled lake. His clothes soaking wet, a side of his trousers smeared with mud from a slip and fall while he had been making his way back to the bottom of the cliff from where his foster brother had dived, Saionji made for a rather pitiful sight as he fervently searched for any sign of the other boy. Thunder, distant now, rumbled across the valley, and he was finding that the rapidly approaching night was making it hard to make out what was what in the deepening gloom of the downpour. (Oh god, what if I can't find him? What if he's dead?)  
  
A sound caught his attention, one that was out of place from the music of the surrounding storm. Breaking out into another sprint, occasionally slipping on the treacherously thin sliver of ground between the base of the cliffside and the edge of the large body of water, Saionji scrambled as swiftly as he dared toward the place where he was sure that sound had come.  
  
Splashing, more coughing, sounds of what could only be retching and desperate gasps for air. Heartened by the noise, the green-haired youth redoubled his efforts, only to damned near trip over the bodies when he did finally discover them. Hidden partially by a thick bush that filled up the space between cliff and shore, only a faint flash of deepest scarlet in the dim light and the continued noise alerted Saionji to his foster brother's presence there. Coming to an abrupt halt, the shorter boy cried out, "Are you okay?"  
  
Only more coughing, followed by violent retching, answered the youth's question. Peering into the rain-soaked dim light, Saionji could see that Touga was lying on his side, body gasping for breath. The sounds were coming from a huddled little form lying just in front of the Kiryuu heir. Violet eyes wide, Saionji just stood there, trying to make sense of the scene.  
  
"Is... she okay?" the scarlet-haired youth finally managed to say when he had caught his breath. Considering that the little form was continuing to violently expel water from her lungs, he thought that was a good sign for her eventual recovery.  
  
"I'm not sure," Saionji helplessly replied.  
  
Groaning, Touga pulled himself up into a sitting position, opening his eyes and leaning forward to take a look at the child he had dragged from the water. She was a little thing, clad in plain brown leather shoes, a blue overtunic showing glimpses of a white chemise underneath. Though the clothing was waterlogged and more than likely utterly ruined, he got the sense that they had once been an outfit of a modest value. Hearing her breathing beginning to stabilize, he reached forward and carefully rolled the child onto her back.  
  
From what he could see in the growing twilight, the girl was a pretty one; her fine mane of hair lay water-slicked against a charming and noble face.  
  
"Who is she?" Saionji asked, a worried frown settling on his handsome visage. He was sure he'd never seen this little girl before in his life.  
  
"I have no idea," Touga finally responded, the fingers of a hand brushing a few wet strands from her face. Shifting himself into a kneeling position there in the mud, he carefully slid his arms under the child's body and pulled her into a cradling embrace against his chest. "But we can't just leave her out here in this storm." Hauling himself up into a wide-braced stance, the scarlet-haired boy looked over at his foster brother. "Lead the way back to the trail, Saionji. We really need to get home before the clan comes looking for us."  
  
Stiffly nodding, the shorter youth turned and began to carefully pick his way back along the slippery ground, the deepening darkness making it hard to see. Since they hadn't expected to be out past dark, neither one of them had brought with them anything with which to light a torch; besides, the storm had swiftly soaked everything, so had they had firemaking tools, there was nothing available with which to make a torch of any sort.  
  
"Slowly, Saionji," Touga reminded the other. "It's getting very hard to see."  
  
The sensation of strong arms holding her and of being lifted up in the air roused the little girl. Opening large azure eyes, it took her a moment to realize that she could hear and see. The soft hiss of rain, the low voices of what sounded like two boys, an angel-like face framed by soaking wet dark hair… Without knowing why, she felt safe in those arms. Relaxing slightly, she became aware of an ache in her right hand; she knew she held something important, something she should never lose. Closing her eyes again in utter exhaustion, the little girl snuggled against the warmth of the one carrying her as best she could.  
  
Into the darkness the little progression continued, Saionji slipping and sliding his way forward, muttering a curse here and there as he stumbled along back the way he thought he'd come and Touga striding along behind, carefully testing each step before pulling his weight on it, his arms full of tired little girl. When the cliffside began to change into a steep hill, the green-haired youth actually smiled. They were almost back to the now-muddy trail that led up and over the ridge that encircled the glen of Clan Kiryuu.  
  
Voices shouting their names and torchlight in the distance greeted the two boys as they staggered up along the road. Once voice in particular thundered out, making the two groan softly in apprehension. Steeling his nerves, Touga called out in reply, "Down here!"  
  
The sound of hooves came closer; torchlight and the relieved men of Clan Kiryuu swiftly surrounded them. Any tongue-lashing the Kiryuu may have had for his sons died unspoken as his violet-blue eyes looked down on the sorry sight of the water-soaked boys, the small form of a much younger child in his redheaded son's arms.   
  
"She fell into the lake, Father," Touga softly explained. "I couldn't just let her drown..."  
  
A stern frown on his handsome face, the imposing redheaded man merely nodded at his son's words. "Mount up and let's go home," the Kiryuu ordered. A gesture to the surrounding men, and a young warrior with dark brown hair and eyes equally dark brown came forward, Thunder and Lightning trailing after him by their bridles.  
  
With a cursory nod, Saionji swiftly made his way over to the all-black Highland pony that was his rouncy. Putting a foot in the stirrup, the green-haired youth lifted himself up into the saddle atop Thunder and then took the reins from the Kiryuu warrior.  
  
Touga walked up to where his father sat astride his impressive chestnut-colored stallion, not meeting the other's disapproving stare. "Could you please hold her?" he softly asked. "I'd like to carry her home," he added, once more looking down at the apparently dozing child. Something about her, some indefinable quality, made him want to keep her close and forever protect her from the dangers of the world.  
  
The only answer he got was feeling his waterlogged burden be taken from him. Stepping back from his father, the scarlet-haired boy strode over to where the Kiryuu warrior continued to hold the snow-white Highland pony by the reins. Gracefully mounting the rouncy, Touga took control of the reins and urged Lightning into a walk, only stopping when he was once more next to the leader of Clan Kiryuu. For a long moment, he wondered if his father wouldn't honor his request; violet-blue eyes stared down at him with a mixture of emotions Touga couldn't read. At last, however, the tall redheaded man lifted up the little form of the girl toward his son.  
  
Lashing the reins around the horn of the leather saddle, Touga carefully balanced himself and once more pulled the girl into his arms. Getting her settled comfortably across his thighs and in his embrace, Touga looked down at her again. In the torchlight, he could see that her cherubic visage held the hint of a promise of future beauty and that her fine mane of hair was rose pink in color, judging by the few wisps that had dried and were floating about her face.  
  
The jostling around disturbed the child's uneasy slumber. Opening her eyes again, she caught a glimpse again of that handsome face surrounded by dark red hair, this time clearer now in the dancing orange-tinged illumination of firelight. Seeing that she was being held by the same youth as before, the girl faintly smiled and let herself drift off to sleep again. There was something about him that let her know beyond all doubts that he would keep her safe.  
  
Around him, the Kiryuu and his men turned their horses around and began riding back up along the rain-washed trail. Knowing that Lightning would follow their lead, Touga kept his arms around the girl and his eyes on her. He'd noticed her eyes the moment she opened them, their brilliant blue color truly startling; he let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding once she snuggled closer to his warmth and closed those azure orbs once again. Overcome by curiosity —- her hair looked amazingly fine and soft to the touch —- he shifted his hold on her and gently ran a hand through her still-wet hair. Despite it being soaked, it still felt like the finest of silks as it slipped between his fingers; the tactile sensation only added to the child's appeal. All of his protective instincts aroused at the sight of her —- so pretty and trusting, sleeping peacefully in his arms —- Touga silently swore that he would be her protector for as long as she stayed among Clan Kiryuu. 


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One  
  
Springtime had returned to the highlands, bringing with it the promise of warmth and an easier life. The hardships of winter were over; the land was shaking off its yearly slumber. New shoots were showing on the bushes and underbrush, their lighter green a contrast between the dark trunks and deeper greens of the evergreen forest. Once again, the clan had come through the cold weather, sparse food and lengthy nights well, only losing a few oldtimers and sickly newborns to the harsher time of the year. All told, it had been a mild winter, and for that, the chieftain of Clan Kiryuu was glad.  
  
Around the noble figure of the leader, the fit and lean forms of his clan's warriors waited on horseback as the tracker searched around for signs of worthy prey. Already a couple of the men held a freshly killed and field-dressed buck suspended between them, the dead animal dangling by tied ankles to a sturdy pole slung from one man's shoulders to the other. Also tied to the pole was a boar, also similarly field-dressed. A breeze blew through the clearing, sending the chieftain's scarlet hair swirling around him while he turned to stare at the two men holding the downed game. "Take the game back home to the clanhold," he ordered. "We'll continue on to hunt more. Our larders need to be restocked now that winter has depleted the stores."  
  
"Aye, Lord Touga," replied the taller and older of the two. Looking over his shoulder, the brunette nodded to his auburn-haired partner. "Let's go."  
  
Smiling to himself, thinking of the grumbling his younger sister Nanami -- ever since the death of their father, the former chieftain, the energetic blond had been the lady of the keep, overseeing the household staff -- would do in herding up the kitchen staff in preparing the meat for storage, Touga strained his hearing for any signal from the tracker. The little fourteen-year-old tyrant would actually enjoy another chance to boss around the staff that worked on the upkeep of the stronghold. That thought made the eighteen-year-old highland lord softly chuckle.  
  
Just then, a shout from deeper in the woods rang out between the evergreens. Holding up a hand in an imperious gesture for silence, Touga listened for a repeat yell. Instantly the surrounding warriors -- the fighting men of Clan Kiryuu, the protectors and providers of the myriad descendants of a common royal ancestor -- fell quiet. Only the whimpering and barking of the waiting dogs, their leads held tightly by the houndsman, broke the hushed silence of the clearing.  
  
"Unicorn spoor!"  
  
(A unicorn?) Touga thought, feeling a flush of excitement flow through him. The creatures were elusive and highly prized, their horns proof against any sort of poison. There hadn't been signs of one around the Kiryuu glen for months. There was true glory in capturing one of the gorgeous creatures, and they'd already sent home some meat for the almost bare larders. Tugging on the reins with his left hand, he swiftly dropped his right in a gesture for the gathered men to follow him. A touching of his heels to his courser's flanks sent the white gelding cantering forward in the direction from which the shout had come.  
  
Horse and rider made their way between the trees, the rest of the hunters trailing along in their wake. Spotting the flash of the tracker's scarlet tunic, Touga urged Blizzard onward then softly called to the courser to halt when the kneeling man came into full view. "How close is it, do you think?" he asked the youthful man.  
  
"Not far at all, Lord Touga." The tracker, a dusky blonde of about sixteen winters with intelligent-appearing grass-green eyes, pointed down at the droppings amongst the cloven hoofprints there near a small puddle in a hollow in the ground.  
  
(Good.) Gracefully turning in the saddle, the highland chieftain motioned for the houndsman to come forward with the dogs. The middle-aged clanmember did so, the pack of black and brindle hounds becoming excited and starting to bark as their keen noses detected a whiff of prey they'd been trained to track. The braided leather leashes swiftly became taut as the canines struggled forward, the pack of animals threatening to drag along their handler through their combined strength. "Let them go once they've got the scent," Touga ordered.  
  
Moments later, the dogs were loose, their excited barking turning into baying calls as they dashed through the forest in search of their prey. "Kiryuu, onward!" Touga called out, shouting the battle cry of the influential clan. Tapping Blizzard's flanks hard with his heels, the young lord rode after the hounds, the pounding of his heart in the excitement of the hunt echoing the thunder of his white gelding's hooves. Behind him, he could hear the sounds of the other's mounts and the excited shouts of his men as they too gave chase to the elusive creature.  
  
Long scarlet hair flowed like a silken banner as the elegant nobleman followed the sounds of the baying hounds, his dark blue eyes focused on the best way through the forest foliage. This way and that he guided his courser by knee and by rein, threading a path between tree and bush, brush and trunk, using the sounds of the dogs to guide him. Horns began to sound as his warriors spread out into small groups to better cover the area, their crystalline notes signaling to one another where each gathering of men were in relation to one another. Aware of hoofbeats behind him, Touga knew that a number of his warriors were staying with him, seeing to their duty to keep safe the chieftain of the clan.  
  
A flash of white caught his eye, off there to his left. Though the barking of the canines continued to come from straight ahead, the highland lord gave in to his sudden flash of intuition and pulled the reins to the left. Blizzard responded beautifully, slowing from his full gallop to leap toward the left, running in the direction indicated by his young master. Pushing their way past the still mostly-bare branches of a thick bush, horse and rider continued on, Touga looking again for that patch of white.  
  
(There!) He actually saw it for a fleeting moment -- the pristine equine-like body, the dangerous spiral horn, the lionlike tufted tail -- as the unicorn dug its cloven hooves into the ground and darted to the right, away from both the pursuing lord and the sound of the dogs and other hunters. Momentarily awed at his very first glimpse of such a beautiful and noble beast, Touga could only stare in wonder as the sleek and snowy form disappeared into the depths of the forest. Even more determined to catch the wondrous animal, the scarlet-haired lord tugged on the reins, urging Blizzard to chase after their prey.  
  
Leaping over fallen trees, splashing through small streams, Touga kept after the fleeing unicorn. Though the animal was darting this way and that, trying to use its graceful agility to advantage, the determined chieftain would catch a glimpse here and there of the noble beast's white hide and turn in that direction. As the merry chase continued on, the sounds of his followers eventually faded away, the baying of the hounds and the calling of the horns impinging on his determined concentration just enough to make him dimly aware of becoming separated from everyone else. But it wasn't until he no longer caught any sight at all of the elegant beast that he tugged on the reins and called for Blizzard to halt.  
  
The white gelding snorted, shaking his head and making the bridle jingle, as he patiently waited for his rider to give the next signal. Frowning in slight annoyance, Touga stood in the saddle, scanning over his current surroundings for any sign of either prey or hunters. He didn't recognize this precise part of the evergreen wood, but he was fairly certain his dashing about hadn't taken him off Clan Kiryuu lands. A swift glance up at the sky confirmed what direction he faced, and he relaxed slightly. Even if he was somehow off the lands held by his clan, the territory he could be trespassing upon would be those of Clan Saionji, their neighbors -- and vassals -- to the immediate west.  
  
The thought of that made his frown deepen. It had been a couple of years since he had last seen his foster brother, Kyouichi Saionji; the temperamental man had been ordered to return to his clan after a training mishap had concluded with Touga being seriously wounded. Having been newly confirmed as the chieftain by the warriors of the clan, Touga had had to do something about his foster brother in light of the incident. Under the circumstances, he had been as lenient as possible.  
  
As they had gotten older, their friendship had become a turbulent one. Though he had always regarded the green-haired boy as a true brother as well as a friend, Saionji had become more and more distant as they had gone from boyhood to being young men. Try as he might, nothing he did ever truly stopped the growing distance; if anything, his efforts had only made things worse. He had done his best to counter Saionji's growing jealousy, only to see it in the other's violet eyes that he thought he was being patronized. Accepting the inevitable and locking the sadness he felt about the situation away, Touga had given up, letting Saionji believe whatever it was he wished to believe. If being miserable was what made his foster brother truly happy, so be it.  
  
Then had come the fit of temper on the training field. One of the best swordsmen in the clanhold, Saionji was truly a master at wielding a blade, so long as his passionate nature wasn't turned against him. Having successfully won a number of duels against the Kiryuu men with the blunted practice swords, he had become utterly enraged when a sore loser had insulted him, stating that no matter how hard he tried, he would never be as exalted as the lowest of the true-blooded Kiryuu and that he and his bloodline were worthy of only breeding with dogs. Dropping the rebated weapon, Saionji had drawn live steel and had charged at the back of the retreating man. Just then, a young girl maybe only three winters old, having slipped away from her mother, came toddling through the area right between Saionji and his prey, stepping right into the space where the glittering blade was beginning to thrust upward in a swing. Seeing the danger, Touga had instantly reacted, dashing forward as swiftly as possible and then leaping across that last bit of distance. Pain had lanced through him as his back took the blow, the infant huddled under his protective body. Utterly shocked, Saionji had dropped the deadly sword, staring in horror at the blood that had begun to stain the back of Touga's clothing. Though it had turned out to be only a grazing wound, it had still been painful and had required his sister to stitch the edges together, and he had had to keep his arm in a sling for a month to immobilize the muscles of his shoulder so that they could heal correctly. And Saionji had been sent away from the only home he had truly known, back to the clan he would one day lead.  
  
(Perhaps it's time to pay my dear brother a visit?) Touga idly thought, dark azure eyes scanning over his unfamiliar surroundings. (See how he's doing, see if he's gotten over his jealousy . . .) One thing was for certain: he'd not bring down the wrath of Clan Saionji by inadvertently being there within their territory. They were his vassals; they had no right to deny him safe passage on their lands.  
  
Still no sign of either the unicorn or his men. Around him, the sounds of the forest -- birds, the creaking of trees in the breeze, the scurrying rustle of small animals -- were all he heard. Sighing slightly, wondering just how far away dogs and men were, Touga lifted up the reins and was about to urge Blizzard to walk back the way they came when an unexpected noise impinged itself upon his awareness.  
  
A voice, one that seemed to have the higher tones of a female. Though he couldn't make out the words, the tone alone conveyed something he interpreted as irritation and then awe. Curiosity overcoming him, he focused in on the source of the sound and silently signaled his white courser to move onward.  
  
" . . . Such a pretty thing. I don't suppose *you* could aid me?"  
  
(What the devil?) the young highland lord wondered, finally able to catch what the woman was saying. Azure eyes locked in on the spot from where he believed the other person must be, he fought back the impulse to dig his heels into Blizzard's flanks and have the courser gallop over the remaining distance. The moment he could see the woman in question, he was instantly thankful he had chosen to be patient.  
  
A slender form wearing oddly mannish-looking clothing sat perched upon the dark trunk of a fallen tree, the sunlight shining down on her from the hole in the evergreen canopy left behind by the death of the giant pine. At first glance, the person looked like a boy, slender limbs clad in form-fitting hose and undertunic of ivory hue. A sturdy, knee-length tunic of dark rose pink was belted around a willowy waist by a slim girdle of golden links, and a shapeless cap of matching fabric covered the other's head, a cockade of colorful feathers adorning the left side. No hints at all of the color of her hair were revealed by that soft fabric tam. Leather shoes covered dainty feet, though from the way one of her hands was wrapped around the hose-covered ankle of a foot resting up on the tree truck, it seemed obvious to Touga that she had somehow hurt herself there.  
  
But the sight that truly took his breath away was the fact that the unicorn was there, snuffling in curiosity at the outstretched hand of the strangely-dressed woman. Its white hide brilliant in the sunshine -- it seemed to faintly glow to the bedazzled lord's eyes -- the horse-like animal lashed its side with it's leonine tail and softly whickered. Then it suddenly lifted up its bearded and single-horned head, turned its fathomless gaze to stare directly at the scarlet-haired nobleman and galloped off, swiftly disappearing into the thick underbrush.  
  
"No, don't!" the woman called out after the disappearing animal. Lowering her hand, her face a study in disappointment, she abruptly jumped and looked over in alarm at the man and horse that seemingly stepped out of nowhere to invade the peace of the quiet clearing. "Oh!"  
  
"Forgive me, m'lady," Touga hastily said, wanting to swiftly lay to rest any fears she may have at his appearance. "I didn't mean to frighten you so."  
  
The woman shook her head, then gave the stranger a hesitant smile. He was absolutely gorgeous, sitting as proud as a king upon the back of his magnificent white horse. Long, straight, scarlet-red hair framed a handsome and noble face, clothing in the current style colored in shades of red, white and gold covered a tall and well-made form. "That's quite all right. I was more startled by your unexpected but welcome appearance."  
  
"Welcome, m'lady?"  
  
"Aye . . ." Her pretty face taking on a rueful expression, she gently massaged the ankle of the leg she had propped up on the trunk upon which she was sitting. "I fear I must ask for some assistance. I was thrown from my horse and she seems to have wandered off."  
  
"If I may, allow me to look at that -- " Touga offered, beginning to swing down from the saddle of his mount.  
  
"No, no, it's not necessary, kind sir," the woman hastily replied, shaking her head in the negative. "My ankle hurts, but it's otherwise intact. I merely need someone to fetch me my horse. Could you please do so? I've been dreading the thought of having to try walking to my destination."  
  
"Of course. Just point the way and I shall fetch your mount for you," the Kiryuu chieftain replied, giving the woman a charming smile. A subscriber to the gentle sentiments of chivalry, Touga was more than willing to offer any assistance the lady in distress asked of him.  
  
"The last I saw, she went past those trees," the maiden responded, pointing to a stand of pines on the other side of the clearing.  
  
Peering over there, Touga caught a glimpse of a pale colored horse happily grazing away on the available foliage of the woods. Smiling to himself, he touched heels to Blizzard and tugged on the reins to guide his own mount. "Come now, naughty mare," he gently chided the grazing animal as he and his courser drew close. "'Tis an ungrateful action to leave your mistress stranded out in the woods so."  
  
Snorting, the mare lifted her head and eyed both man and horse. Turning, she started to bolt, but Blizzard was faster, having been urged to speed up by his rider. Leaning over to the right, Touga reached quickly out with a hand and firmly grasped the mare's dangling reins. "Now, now, that's not very kind of you," he murmured to the buff-colored palfrey. "I promise I won't hurt you. Just come along . . ."  
  
Turning Blizzard to the left and retracing their steps, the highland lord lead the skittery mare back into the clearing and toward the woman sitting there on the fallen tree. She was still massaging her ankle, but the moment she heard them approach, she looked up and smiled again. "Thank you, kind sir. You are a true gentleman."  
  
"Glad to be of service to one of the gentler sex," Touga replied, returning her smile. "I'll hold her steady while you mount."  
  
"Thank you," the maiden responded, gracefully rising from her impromptu perch. Though the silken-appearing hose and tight sleeves of the undertunic gave hints as to the charms of her feminine body, the overtunic hung baggily on her willowy form, making most of her figure indecipherable. In some ways, Touga found that even more intriguing than some of the current styles that gave hints of a woman's body under her colorful gowns. As she limped over toward her palfrey, the scarlet-haired lord was surprised to see a slim dirk belted to her waist, a plain leather scabbard holding what was more than likely a keen-edged blade. (A very intriguing woman, this,) he thought, his dark blue gaze resting upon her as she lightly stroked her pale mount's mane and talked softly to it.  
  
"If I may be so bold," he began, the faintest of puzzled frowns settling on his handsome visage, "why do you dress in such a manner?"  
  
With a soft, feminine grunt, the maiden lifted herself up into the saddle. "What? This?" she asked, tugging on the dark rose-colored fabric of her sturdy tunic with one hand as she tugged on the reins with the other. "I find that dressing in such a manner is more convenient on my travels," she answered, looking over at the noble-appearing redhead. "And it reminds me of -- Oh!"  
  
The palfrey had looked calm, and the woman had appeared to be in control, so Touga had released the reins at her tugging with no qualms at all. However, it seemed as if the buff-colored mare had designs of her own. The moment her mistress seemed firmly in the saddle and holding the reins, there was a crashing through the forest, followed by a shout of discovery. Startled by the abrupt noise, the palfrey bolted into the woods, cutting the maiden off in mid-sentence.  
  
Touga turned and shot his men a look of exasperation. He couldn't blame them for their noisy entrance, nor could he truly get upset at their shouts of greeting after having found him. After all, the trio of raven-haired warriors had been assigned to be their chieftain's guard. "Stay put!" he shouted to the three Kiryuu men. "I'll be right back!" With a shout and a light kick to his courser's flanks, the scarlet-maned lord chased after the panicked mare.  
  
They thundered through the woods, weaving among the bushes and underbrush, the young nobleman's dark blue gaze focused on the slender figure atop the other horse. She seemed to be clinging tightly to the saddlehorn, her surprise at the palfrey's bolt having cost her the hold she had had on the reins. To Touga, she looked as if she was afraid of taking yet another spill from the back of her mare.  
  
"Hyah!" he shouted to his courser, urging Blizzard to catch up to the runaway animal with another tap of his heels. Long hair rippling behind him, he kept his focus on the maiden's willowy form, fervently praying that misfortune would not happen to fall upon the strangely-clad woman. Nearly bare branches tore at him and his horse as they made their way through the foliage, and once he had to lean low over his courser's neck, the strands of the animal's mane tickling against his face, in order to miss being swept off by a low-hanging branch of a pine. Even so, the faster gelding gained on the panicked mare, the distance between them swiftly disappearing as the chase continued.  
  
Leaping over a small stream, the galloping mounts and their riders dashed through more thick brush to emerge into a long but narrow clearing. Finding the room to draw abreast of the other animal, Touga quickly lashed the reins of his white gelding, trusting in the courser's training to remain predictable. Taking a breath and gripping tightly with his knees, the highland lord leaned far over to the left. Arm contacting the warm solidity of the maiden, he grabbed for her with his other arm and pulled, hard. Grunting with the effort, feeling a strong grip clutch at him, fingernails digging into his shoulders through his scarlet-trimmed white tunic, Touga jerked himself back to an upright position as he gathered to his chest the slender form of the maiden. Settling her onto his lap as best he could, he reached around her and tugged on the reins. "Ho, there, Blizzard."  
  
Ever responsive to his young master's commands, the white gelding came to a halt. Her breathing rapid from her fright, the maiden -- oddly enough, Touga idly noted, her rose-colored hat remained perched perfectly still upon her head -- turned her gaze to look up at her rescuer. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out as she stared at him.  
  
Her eyes . . . They were large, a captivatingly luminous blue. Up close, they were her best feature, a shade of azure that was enough to take someone's breath away. A man could easily get lost in those eyes . . .  
  
For a timeless moment, they remained like that, the Kiryuu chieftain holding against him the lovely stranger in the odd garb, each staring into the other's eyes. The runaway mare, the evergreen forest, everything else was forgotten, their entire existence focused only upon themselves and that particular minute. How exquisite her beauty, her visage certainly one of a noble heritage. Though from a distance she may pass for a youth in that outfit of hers, there was no mistaking the feminine structure of her face, the lushness of her rose-tinted lips, the thickness of her long eyelashes . . .   
  
(He seems . . . familiar . . . somehow . . .) the maiden thought, her gaze focused on that angelic face, those cobalt blue eyes, the scarlet hair that framed his noble visage. Suddenly aware of how close she was to him, sitting upon his lap as she was, she suddenly pinked slightly and looked away, scooting forward on the saddle slightly. "Thank you again, kind sir," she murmured.  
  
Her abrupt shyness made his expressive mouth turn up in a smile. "I never could ignore a damsel in distress," he replied.  
  
Looking around, she took on an expression of vexation. "Now where has my ungrateful mare gotten off to?" she complained.  
  
"I'm sure she'll not run overly far," he reassured her. "What was your destination, m'lady, if I may ask?"  
  
"I was traveling to Kiryuu Keep."  
  
Touga blinked, surprised. He hadn't heard of any guests coming to visit, especially not any maiden of such loveliness. "Pardon my inquisitiveness, but what business do you have there?"  
  
"Oh, nothing overly important," she responded, still not looking at him. There was something about him that made her faintly uneasy; she was very aware of his nearness and the warmth of his magnificent form. "I enjoy traveling, kind sir, and have made it a goal to visit as many holdings as will allow me to stay."  
  
"Do you travel all alone?" Touga wondered aloud, frowning slightly. The thought of any maiden braving the forests of the highlands by herself, even if she should know how to use the blade at her side, made him feel like throttling her for her foolishness.  
  
"Oh, no, I do not. I just happened to get separated from my party and then my palfrey threw me." Taking a breath and looking back at him, she faintly paled at the displeased expression on his face. "I'm sure they've continued on to Kiryuu Keep, thinking that I may have reached there ahead of them. I'm certain I'll be reunited with them were I to go there."  
  
"We shall see," the young lord replied. Leaning over, he tugged open a saddlebag single-handedly, fishing around in it until he pulled out the object that he sought. A horn from a highland bull, hollowed out and bored into in order to allow one to blow it as an instrument, it was decorated with the intricate knotwork common to the artistic styles of the area. Raising the horn to his lips, Touga blew two short notes followed by a lengthy tone. He knew that his waiting men would recognize the signal and come to his side. "I shall take you to the keep," he added, lowering the horn.  
  
"But what about my mare?" the woman queried.  
  
"My men will look for her and bring her back."  
  
"Your men?" she echoed, frowning thoughtfully.  
  
"Aye. The ones that came crashing into the clearing and set your palfrey to flight are warriors of my clan," Touga responded, his tone matter of fact.  
  
"*Your* clan?"  
  
Before he could reply to her astonished query, the sounds of the trio of Kiryuu men came to his ears. Tugging the reins and getting Blizzard to turn around, he waited with a smile as the raven-haired warriors rode into the clearing on their fine steeds. "Is everything all right?" the man in the lead called out.  
  
"Aye, is it?" added the second of the similar-appearing men.  
  
"There's no danger?" the third chimed in.  
  
"Everything's fine, I assure you," Touga answered, nodding slightly to the three. "However, the lady here has had her horse run off. I wish to return home with her, so I'm charging you with finding her mare and returning to the keep with it."  
  
"As you wish, Lord Touga," the apparent leader of the trio said, bowing in acknowledgement of the order, a gesture swiftly echoed by the other two. The three then spurred their horses onward, leaving the chieftain and his guest alone.  
  
(*Lord* Touga?) She stared at him in awe, realizing that the gorgeous man was the one she had hoped to observe. So this was the young lord of one of the most powerful clans in the highlands. Feeling her cheeks warm with a blush, the maiden turned her gaze away from him.  
  
Sensing her pensive mood, Touga was content to find his way back to Kiryuu Keep in silence. Intrigued by the mystery of her, he was willing to let her reveal things at a pace she wished. Perhaps she would explain more once she was reunited with her people and behind the safety of the walls of the strong fortress. For the moment, he would certainly enjoy her company there before him, breathing in the tempting rose-tinged scent of her. There would be time enough to satisfy his curiosity once he got her home.  
________________  
  
Well now, things were beginning to look up. The Clan Kiryuu men had returned from a successful hunt, bringing home a brace of boar and a couple of stags along with four pheasants, putting to ease some of her fears about the lack of food in the keep's nearly depleted larders. With her usual cheer, the slim blond exercised both will and tongue to whip the kitchen staff into frenetic activity. One of the stags was skinned and dressed, its body now turning on a spit within the massive fireplace within the kitchen while the rest of the meat was being stripped from the carcasses in preparation to being cured and salted for preservation. After being reduced to feeding the household on what legumes, roots, tubers, and grains remained in the sacks, boxes and barrels in the basement of the shell keep for the last couple of weeks while they waited out a last cold snap and hard frost, she knew that a feast tonight would improve the clan's morale greatly. With the coming of spring, her brother and the warriors would be busy replenishing the stores by hunting; it was a yearly ritual that was familiar and comforting both. They had made it through he toughest part of the seasons.  
  
Crossing her arms over her bosom -- though small, it was already showing the promise of her coming physical maturity; she would more than likely be as beautiful as her brother was handsome -- the fourteen-year-old watcher scanned over the approach to the keep with her violet gaze. From her perch on the stone balcony overlooking the single entrance into the fortress, she could see the whole of the clanhold and the surrounding fields beyond. The keep dominated an artificially made hill on the site of what had once been a hill-fort first constructed in time immemorial, the granite shell covering the majority of the top of the motte. A stone curtain wall had replaced the wooden palisade that had once ringed the inner side of the ditch around the motte, the change made during the last chieftain's lifetime. In the shadow of the keep, still surrounded by a wooden palisade, the rest of the clan's cottages and barns were arranged around the stronghold, the royal stables being the building closest to the gateway through the curtain wall that lead to the pathway up the hillside to the entrance to the tower. Of course, there were other villages scattered throughout the valley in which Clan Kiryuu made its home, each one a gathering of homesteads of men who were either descendants of the first royal Kiryuu or were vassals of the clan, but here was the place where the prince of the Kiryuu maintained his traditional home.  
  
"Lady Nanami?" called out a voice, breaking the silence.  
  
Frowning petulantly -- she wanted to assure herself that her beloved older brother had made it home safely -- the slim girl turned and glared at the one who had disturbed her, violet eyes narrowing. Though the locks of her shimmering blond right around her face were caught in a braid she wore across her crown in a style reminiscent of a tiara, the rest of her medium-length hair was unbound, free to fall in graceful waves about her head and shoulders. Looking every inch the princess in her orange-colored chemise and saffron-yellow sideless surcoat, she imperiously queried, "What is it, Keiko?"  
  
The girl addressed hastily bowed, her twin light auburn ponytails swaying with the movement. Averting her brown-eyed gaze, the other fourteen-year-old cleared her throat nervously. "Begging your pardon, m'lady, but where should the guests be placed for the night?"  
  
"In the guest room, of course," Nanami swiftly answered, her tone suggesting that the maiden must be a simpleton to not have figured that out herself.  
  
"We weren't sure, since they'd be crowded in there -- "  
  
"'Tis the only place we have for them," the young lady pointed out, her voice sounding both matter of fact and irritated all at once. "They'll have to make due with cots if they wish to partake of our hospitality." (Thank god Big Brother managed to get some meat in the house,) Nanami silently added, frowning at the reminder of the extra mouths to feed. Two men at arms and two apparent handmaidens had shown up, asking for hospitality and stating that they had somehow become separated from their noblewoman, who had been traveling here to Kiryuu Keep. Though alarmed when they had been told that their lady wasn't present -- as they had apparently been expecting -- the news that the chieftain was out hunting in the immediate caused the group of strangers to decide to abide at the keep and see if their lady should show up on her own. From what little Nanami had overheard of their conversation, they figured that no blackhearts would dare try anything on Kiryuu lands while the prince was out and about.  
  
"As you wish, m'lady," Keiko quickly replied, bowing again and hastily walking backwards toward the oaken door that lead from the balcony to the women's solar.  
  
Turning her back to the retreating handmaiden, Nanami once more gazed out over the clanhold to the fields beyond, searching for any sign of her brother's return. The roasted stag along with a hearty stew made from what vegetables remained as well as the bread baked from what little stone-ground flour they had left would make for a decent feast, even with the five additional people. There was certainly enough ale and wine remaining in the kegs down below in storage for a celebration, and if the weather held, she could count on a trip in the near future to the nearest market city in order to purchase more supplies with what scant money her brother had along with any game with which they could barter.  
  
There, across the fields, she thought she saw movement. Leaning forward, stretching out over the embattlements of the shoulder-high wall of the balcony, Nanami's breath caught in her throat as she strained her eyesight to catch a glimpse of who was riding over the currently-fallow land. A flash of white, a glimmer of scarlet, and a jolt of joyous excitement ran through the young noblewoman. (Big Brother's home!)  
  
A bright smile on her pretty face, she couldn't take her violet gaze from the magnificent form of her older sibling; how wonderful he looked -- how utterly noble! -- as he rode across the dark earth on his gorgeous white steed. She was the luckiest girl in the world to have the prince of the Kiryuu as her big brother. Hardly noticed at all were the trio of dark-haired warriors that rode in their chieftain's wake, their figures astride almost identical chesnut-colored coursers, though a part of Nanami's mind acknowledged their return as well. After all, Suzuki, Yamada and Tanaka had made it known that any one of them would like to one day have the chieftain's sister for a bride.  
  
As Touga rode closer to the keep, Nanami's smile faded ever so slightly. The moment the young lord was through the open gate in the wooden palisade that protected the homesteads of the clan members, his people warmly greeted him, calling out and waving. It was obvious to any observer that Lord Touga was beloved by the clan, both male and female alike -- though the women were much more vocal and demonstrative. (Why must they make such fools out of themselves every time he comes near?) Nanami mentally growled.  
  
(No matter,) she continued, straightening up and pushing away from the gray granite wall. In her mind's eye, she watched as her brother came riding up to the stables. She would then dash down through the keep, her long skirts held up out of the way in her hands, run out the single door, sprint down the incline of the grass-covered motte and give him a joyful hug the moment he dismounted from Blizzard. She would tell him how happy she was he made it home safely, and he would hug her back and tell her how much he missed her company as he was out hunting. Life would be wonderful as they walked arm in arm together back up into the tower that was their home. Sighing happily at her warm vision, Nanami began to act on her decision when she suddenly noticed something that brought everything to a crashing halt.  
  
Touga was riding with someone else on his courser.  
  
(Who could *that* be?) the slim blond mentally hissed, her violet eyes narrowing in annoyance. Staring at the form perched between Blizzard's neck and her older brother's white-clad torso, she couldn't decide if the figure dressed in dark rose pink was a boy or something else. The clothing hinted at a masculine identity, but there was something about the slender figure -- and the way her brother was holding that person…  
  
Gasping, Nanami felt a nameless sort of dread as the Kiryuu prince and his followers made their way through the village upon the central path and halted before the long, rectangular, thatched-roof building that served as the royal stables. Continuing to watch from her perch high atop the three-story shell keep, Nanami absently clenched a hand shut into a fist as her brother dismounted and then gallantly helped down his unexpected passenger. From the way he acted and the way he moved, she knew.  
  
The stranger was a woman. Though oddly dressed, she had to be a woman nonetheless. Otherwise, Touga would be behaving in a different manner altogether.  
  
(How *dare* that tramp get in the way of my happy reunion with Big Brother!) Nanami fumed, a stormy expression marring the loveliness of her face. (Look at her! She can't even dress properly. Well, I'm certain she's of no consequence. Big Brother wouldn't look twice at such an abnormal female.) Reassured by her thoughts, the young blonde stepped away from the balcony wall and headed for the door to the women's solar. It was time to welcome home the lord of the keep and to find out just who it was he'd brought home.  



	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
Large aquamarine eyes glanced about, taking in her surroundings. Kiryuu Keep was actually rather spacious for a building of its sort, with sturdy granite walls and a cozy wooden interior structure. Compared to some of the other fortresses in this far-flung northern end of the land, it was downright luxurious, what with its stone construction, the many fine tapestries on the wall, the cleanliness of the rushes that covered the Great Hall's floor. And it too, like its young lord, held a note of familiarity that haunted her.  
  
"The guestroom is this way, m'lady," prompted the boy guiding her through the fortress. An active youth of about eleven winters, with short-cropped golden blond hair and large, adorable azure-blue eyes, he was clad in dark blue tights, a sky blue tunic that was simply decorated with silver braid, dark brown, soft leather shoes and a tabard that proclaimed him a page of Clan Kiryuu's prince. Fabric as white as snow covered the boy's other clothing, front and back sporting upon the surface the appliqued cloth visage of a rampant tyger brandishing a sword in its right-hand forepaw, all as red as new-shed blood. Even as far as the lowlands, she'd heard rumors of the prowess of the Red Tyger; Touga Kiryuu was supposedly one of the bravest and fiercest of lords, as well as one of the most chivalrous and honorable. "Your ladies are waiting there for you."  
  
"Thank you," the rose-clad girl -- for truly a girl she was, having only seen fifteen winters -- replied, her soft shoes making hardly any sound on the stone steps of the spiral staircase. A hand rested lightly on the breast of her masculine-cut, baggy overtunic as she descended the flight behind the boy. "What about my men at arms?"  
  
"His Lordship means to have them bunk in the guard's dayroom. That way they'll be just outside your door and you and your ladies will have some privacy."  
  
(How very thoughtful,) she mused, a smile settling on her rose-hued lips. The moment he'd entered the Great Hall, after seeing to making sure that the grooms had taken care of her palfrey, Lord Touga had been enthusiastically greeted by a slender blond girl who was obviously a lady in high standing in the household. Insisting that he needed to check on various things, the orange- and yellow-clad lady had monopolized the highland lord's time, even calling for the page to attend their unexpected guests. Murmuring his apologies to her, Touga instructed the page to show her to the guestroom while he had walked off, the blond girl arm in arm with him.  
  
The blue-eyed girl hadn't overly minded. After all, Touga was the prince of the clan, and as such, he was sure to have a busy schedule. Besides, the thought of freshening up after a day's travel and recovering from getting tossed from her mare was something quite pleasant.  
  
They emerged from the stone shaft of the stairwell out into a large room with two heavy, brass-bound oaken doors, one in the center of each wall to the sides. Across from the archway leading to the stairs, a large shuttered window overlooked the oval courtyard in the center of the circular shell keep. Like most of the rooms in the tower, this one was somewhat triangular in shape, taking up close to a quarter of the circle encompassed by the thick granite outer wall. A few rough-hewn wooden trestle tables with matching benches on either side furnished this chamber, with tapestries depicting scenes from legendary battles hanging along the walls. From a beam of the ceiling, a banner of Clan Kiryuu -- that same white field with a red rampant tyger holding an upright sword as was on the page's tabard -- hung just to the right of the shuttered window.  
  
"This is where your men will be sleeping," the boy explained, pointing to the twin cots set up against the wall, one to either side of the door to the left of the stairs. "Inside that door is the guestroom."  
  
"Thank you again," the girl replied, giving the blond youth a bright smile. "I believe I can take it from here."  
  
The page sketched a swift but respectful bow. "As you wish. If you need aught else, give the bell cord in the room a pull and I'll be right down to see to your wishes."  
  
She merely nodded, the feathered cockade on the side of her dark rose colored cap rippling slightly from the air of her movement. Turning away from the boy, she pulled the catch on the door and pushed it open. "Hello?" she called out, stepping inside.  
  
There was a pause as she pulled the door shut behind her. Then came an excited voice, one that was feminine and sounded quite relieved. "Lady Utena! *There* you are!"  
  
The source of the greeting was a somewhat pretty maiden of fifteen winters, her reddish-brown hair pulled up into a single topknot ponytail by a red ribbon save for a lock before each ear and a single forelock that curled in the middle of her forehead. Large, soulful brown eyes gazed at the newcomer in pure delight. Dressed in simple garb of the current fashion, the dark brown kirtle underneath her emerald green sideless surcoat -- the sides of which were laced up with green ribbon in a criss-cross pattern -- gave tantalizing hints as to her body's shape beneath.  
  
The somewhat boyishly-attired maiden had only enough time to blink her aquamarine eyes in mild surprise at how enthusiastic a greeting she received before the brunette girl grabbed her and gave her a huge -- and very familiar -- hug. "Lady Utena! I was getting so worried about you. When they said you weren't here . . ."  
  
"I'm quite all right, as you can see," the rose-clad girl responded, doing her best to smile despite getting somewhat crushed by the other's embrace. "Please, Wakaba, control yourself. It's not exactly proper . . ." In the affectionate gesture, the cloth cap finally succumbed to all the bouncing and jostling it had taken throughout the day. It fell to the floor, releasing the wealth of wavy rose-pink hair that had been stuffed underneath it.  
  
"Oh, all right, m'lady," the brunette replied, turning loose of the other and taking a step back. "So what happened to you? We couldn't find you anywhere."  
  
"I'm sorry for that. Something caught my eye, so I wandered off the road to take a closer look. Not overly far into the woods, my palfrey shied and ran off with me, finally tossing me off her back. I twisted my ankle, so I couldn't walk right away." Shaking her head slightly and running a hand through her hip-length mane of hair, the young noblewoman did her best to untangle her formerly bound hair.  
  
"Oh dear!" Wakaba said, a hand coming up to cover her mouth. "Are you sure you're all right?"  
  
"She said as much the first time around," answered another voice. Stepping from the large, well-made bed, another maiden approached. Older than either one of the others by a couple of years, her slightly wavy brunette hair was cut short, curling down to only the nape of her neck. In contrast to the other, her bangs were worn long and loose, the central forelock curling between her large, violet-hued eyes. Her taller form was attired in another outfit of the current fashion, an azure kirtle snug beneath a sideless surcoat of violet cloth. Like all of them, her garb was rather plain; their lady didn't believe in drawing the attention of evil-minded men by advertising their relative wealth while traveling. "Don't you believe our lady?"  
  
"Well, of course I believe her, Shiori," Wakaba grumbled, crossing her arms over her bosom.  
  
"It's okay, both of you," Utena said, looking from one to the other. "Where are Tatsuya and Ryu?"  
  
"Last I saw, they were hanging out with the household guard," the short-haired maiden responded.  
  
"I think they said they wanted to get in some training with the Kiryuu men now that we're here," Wakaba added.  
  
"That sounds like a splendid idea. The Kiryuu are supposed to be skilled in the arts of war," the pink-haired noblewoman said.  
  
"Among other arts," Shiori pointed out, a sly expression on her pretty face.  
  
"Well, Lord Touga certainly seems gallant enough -- "  
  
"Lady Utena! Have you *met* Lord Touga?" Wakaba asked, surprise and admiration both on her openly expressive visage.  
  
"Well, yes . . . You see, he was out hunting in the woods and happened across where I was tending my hurt ankle -- " Utena began, only to be cut off by her older handmaiden's words.  
  
"*He* brought you here? How envious."  
  
"Really, Shiori, it was no big deal," the pink-garbed girl hastily said. "He only did what any true noble would do."  
  
Just then, a knock on the solid wooden door sounded, breaking through the conversation. The trio of maidens all glanced at one another before Utena called out, "You may enter."  
  
"Excuse me, m'lady, but I've brought a message from His Lordship," came the voice of the youthful page once the door opened. Stepping into the room, they could see his slim arms straining under the weight of a pair of ash-wood buckets filled nearly to the brim with water, curls of steam rising from each one. Behind the boy, a number of other servants filed in after him, each one also carrying a bucket full of hot water. "He wishes you to enjoy the hospitality of his home and to offer to you a bath with which to wash the dust of your travels from you and your ladies. He also hopes you'll grace the Great Hall with the light of your presence this evening at our feast in celebration of the coming of spring. He would be greatly honored to have you join him at the high table."  
  
While the blonde boy spoke, the other servants -- a grouping of people young and old, mostly female but with a few youths and men as well -- filed through the room and began dumping their buckets of hot water into a large cast iron tub placed off in the far corner of the room. Glancing over there, Utena could see that there was a moveable folding screen of varnished rosewood in that same corner, its surface adorned with a gorgeous pattern of entwined roses. Obviously the screen was to be stretched out and positioned around the tub to give the bather some privacy. Turning her attention back to the youth and noticing that he seemed to be staring at her with a slightly dazzled expression, the noblewoman nodded in agreement. "Tell your lord that my people and I will gladly share supper with him this evening, and also that I thank him for the bath."  
  
"Of course, m'lady," the white-tabarded page acknowledged, bowing slightly before lugging over to the tub his own pair of water-filled buckets. With his added, the tub was reasonably full; the servants filed out as quietly as they came in, the three guests watching as they disappeared out the entryway. Then the door was closed, returning to them the privacy that they had had.  
  
"Well, I don't know about you, but a hot bath sounds like a good idea to me," Wakaba said, eyeing the metal container sitting in the corner of the room.  
  
"It'll be nice to get the dirt from traveling off, yes," Shiori agreed.  
  
Utena merely nodded, walking over toward the tub, a hand reaching up to unlace the ties that kept the slit in front of the neckline of her rose-colored cyclas. Protocol allowed her to go first, being the highest ranked of the ones there; knowing that the hot water would help soothe the remaining ache in her ankle, she was willing this time to do as her title allowed her to act. She would just be sure to get back out before the water got too cold for her handmaidens to enjoy.  
________________  
  
Music filled the air, crystalline notes from harp, flute, and lute supported and driven by the low, throbbing beat of the drum. The musicians occupied a corner of the raised dais situated between the single shaft of the barred window leading to the outside of the keep and the large fireplace that warmed the Great Hall as best it could. The C-shaped chamber was the largest single room in the upper floors of the keep, and it served as the center of life for the lord of the Kiryuu and his household. It was here that disputes between clanmembers were decided upon, the evening meals and celebrations of the royal household were conducted and the majority of the staff slept in cots at night after the tables and benches were picked up and placed against the walls and the dirtiest of the rushes covering the wooden floor were swept out to be burnt in the fire. During the day, the cots, pillows and blankets were folded up and stored in a closet just off to the side of the vestibule between the outside door and the Great Hall.  
  
The table and individual chairs upon the dais were always present, the table bolted to the wooden platform's floor and the seats ornately carved heavy pieces of furniture that could only be shoved back or forth for a short distance. Whether sitting at the table during a feast or in attendance upon court business, the Kiryuu chieftain would be present in the red-upholstered silver birch throne-like chair, other equally fancy seats reserved for those of a similar station in life. Tonight, however, things were far more relaxed than their usual wont.  
  
The majority of the trestle tables were still leaning against the tapestry-lined walls, with only a scant few arranged in a curving line between the door to the kitchen and the main entrance into the keep. It was on those tables that the staff had arranged the bread and rolls, roast venison and vegetable stew for the evening meal were situated, the rough-hewn tables covered with cloths alternating between white and scarlet red. Across from them, in the inner curve of the C-shape formed by the Great Hall, two shuttered windows overlooked the open, oval-shaped courtyard that was in the very center of the circle enclosed within the shell keep's outer wall. The rest of the rush-covered floor was open, the sturdy plant stalks having a few fragrant herbs -- once dried, they had been reconstituted and then allowed to air dry in order to make them supple yet again -- scattered about to lend their sweet scent to the air as the people milling about crushed them underfoot as they walked.  
  
Touga stood before the fireplace, the warmth of the flames making his backside quite comfortable as he scanned over the scene with his cobalt-blue gaze. Having wanted to get everyone's mind off the hardships winter may have brought, he had asked for the celebration to be an informal thing and the hall cleared to allow for dancing. The musicians were a traveling band, and quite good; their lively tunes so far certainly had more than made their food and lodging worth it. He was glad to have invited them to stay when they had first appeared a week ago, and he was tempted to offer them a permanent position were they looking for such employment. Lifting the golden goblet to his lips, he took a sip of the rich red wine within as he looked about for his sister.  
  
There she was, looking as splendid as always. She wore her best sideless surcoat, the snowy white one upon which was embroidered on the skirt in both front and back in scarlet and gold thread the Kiryuu tyger. Ribbons of silver-edged red braid laced up the sides of the overtunic, under which could be seen a kirtle of deep golden-yellow, the hem of neck, skirt and sleeve trimmed with a pattern of ruby-adorned golden flowers. Over her braided blond hair rested a netting of golden thread with tiny glimmering rubies at the junctures that shimmered with a ruddy fire as she moved among the others there. Touga allowed himself a smile. No doubt she was making sure that everything was being handled efficiently for the celebration. That was one of her gifts, despite her age. Already she knew how to keep a noble household running well; she would be an asset to whatever lord she was given to as a bride.  
  
(I suppose I should turn my thoughts to arranging something advantageous for her and myself both,) he silently mused, taking another sip of the wine. (However, I'm reluctant to give up her talents just yet, when I have no one to step in and take over once she's gone.)  
  
Unaware of her brother's current thoughts, the slim blonde made her way over to the tables holding the food. Everything seemed to be in order for once: the trenchers were there, ready to be picked up, the fresh rolls were hot and buttered, the venison sliced into all sizes for the hearty and light appetites both, the stew had a delightful scent that left the mouth watering. Seeing that a number of the household had already served themselves and were seated on the floor eating away -- she understood her brother's thought behind making it an informal, buffet type of feast -- Nanami decided that the time had come to make sure her beloved sibling was pleased with the arrangements. Glancing about, she grinned as she spied him standing near the musicians and the dais before the roaring fire.  
  
God, he was magnificent as always, as proud and sleek and beautifully deadly as the red tyger emblazoned upon his white cyclas. Buttoned on the side and sleeveless, as well as its lower length split to allow for better movement, the silver-trimmed overtunic was in startling contrast to the deep scarlet undertunic he wore beneath. Silver fox fur trimmed the neck, long sleeves and hem of the red tunic, a braid of ruby-adorned silver sewn just above the furry material. White hose adorned his legs, his feet in comfortable, black leather shoes. His waist-length scarlet hair hung loose, the perfect frame for his handsome and charming visage. Sighing in absolute adoration, Nanami again thanked her lucky stars that she happened to be related to such an important and wonderful man.  
  
"My dearest lord," the slender blonde noblewoman began once she approached close enough for her brother to hear her over both fire and lovely music, "it seems as if the feast is off to a good start." For a moment, a look of insecurity crossed Nanami's beautiful face, clouded the large violet eyes. "Are -- are you pleased with everything?"  
  
Touga slowly lowered the goblet, his azure gaze resting on his younger sibling's uncertain expression. After a long pause, he gently smiled. "Aye, Nanami. I'm quite pleased. Everything's turning out well so far."  
  
The look on the young lady's face was absolutely priceless as she heard the chieftain's verdict. Smiling brightly, she impulsively grabbed her brother's arm and gave it a warm hug, rocking herself and him ever so slightly in her enthusiasm. "You're so wonderful, my lord," she softly breathed.  
  
"I wonder how I managed to get such an adoring sister," Touga softly murmured, glancing down at the blonde clinging to him. Despite his words, a hint of a smile was there on his lips. Looking into his goblet, he noticed that the wine had gotten to a low level. Besides, he was rather hungry and had yet to eat; in showing to his folks his generosity, he had given permission for them all to start before he had himself served. "Come along, Nanami. I wish to have something to eat, and I daresay that my cup is almost empty."  
  
"I'll be happy to serve you, my lord," the younger Kiryuu sibling quickly replied. Still clinging to his arm, she trailed along as the tall highland chieftain began to make his way over to the tables upon which the sumptuous meal was spread.  
  
Just as the two were midway to their destination, the door to their left -- the one leading to the antechamber that served a dual function of waiting room for those wishing to enter the Great Hall for court as well as storage room for the fine linens, cups, plates and eating ware made from precious metals used for feasting -- opened up, admitting a small group of people into the tapestry adorned hall. Flanking the trio of well-dressed women were two men, their matching outfits of black and white adorned with the crest of a rampant silver unicorn. It was obvious to see that the pair -- one was a handsome youth with dark brown eyes and short-cropped, straight, dark-brown hair parted in the center; the other was older and equally attractive, with short, wavy, dark auburn hair and golden-brown eyes, a forelock straying to rest between his eyes -- were the guards for the three maidens that walked between them. A splash of color in shades of green and shades of violet, the two brunettes were quite a lovely sight.  
  
But it was none of those four that caught Touga's eye and then held it in fascinated wonderment. No, that alone was due to the stunningly beautiful angel that glided into the Great Hall in the center of her group of retainers.  
  
She was absolutely gorgeous, this strange noblewoman that walked into the room and seemed to dominate it with her quiet presence alone. A cascade of rose pink hair fell in soft waves around her face, about her shoulders and then ended at the tempting curve of her hips. She wore a very feminine dress in the latest fashion, her rose beribboned surcoat made from a woven tapestry material depicting white unicorns frolicking in a wealth of white, pink and red roses. Her kirtle was a deep pink, silver braid decorated with tiny pale pink gems glittering with her every movement at the hem of skirt, neck and sleeve. On the left side of her face, the silken locks of her hair were pulled up to the side of her head and fastened there with a silver comb decorated with a sculpted rose, a pale pink jewel held in the heart of the metallic flower. In the middle of her neckline, she wore a golden brooch, four heart-shaped rubies arranged in a cross, their points to the center decorating that piece of jewelry.  
  
But the most captivating thing about her still were her eyes. Those aquamarine pools drew him in, kept his attention, made it hard to see anything but their fascinating and mysterious depths. By those eyes alone, he knew he was looking upon that same maiden that he had brought home earlier in the day. The transformation from seemingly lost waif to heavenly angel left Touga speechless -- save for a gasping inhalation of breath at the first sight of her.  
  
Startled by her brother's abrupt cessation of movement and his sound of amazement, Nanami frowned, perplexed, as she glanced up at him. Whatever it was that he'd noticed, it held him utterly spellbound. The golden-maned maiden's expression deepened as she looked over in the direction at which her dear brother stared. (Who the devil is *that*?) she wondered, violet eyes narrowing in slowly dawning annoyance. How ostentatious the stranger appeared, how seemingly above everyone else she carried herself as if she was some sort of queen. How dare she grab her older sibling's attention so?  
  
"Magnificent . . ." the scarlet-haired chieftain softly breathed, his voice holding a note of rapt admiration.  
  
"Oh, I don't know about that," Nanami responded.  
  
"She cleans up *very* well indeed," Touga added, still staring at his rose-haired guest.  
  
"'Cleans up'?" the younger sibling echoed, her voice having a tone of puzzled surprise. Looking again at the beautiful -- and indisputably feminine maiden -- a feeling of dread filled Nanami, draining the color from her face. (She can't be the one he brought home, the one in that dreadful clothing,) her stunned mind whispered. (She just *can't*!) However, a part of her already knew the truth, that this obviously wellborn lady was that same girl, and a serious threat to taking her brother away.  
  
The Great Hall was every bit as well-kept and sumptuous as the rest of the stone keep, but the moment Utena stepped inside the crowded chamber, a deep sense of familiarity washed over her. (I've been here before . . .?) she silently mused, looking about. The great stone fireplace, a marble mantle fastened to the wall above the blackened stone arch, was right where she expected it to be, as was the dais upon which the high table sat. The tapestries, both those lining the walls and those hanging from the massive beams of the ceiling, were of scenes and patterns she was sure she'd seen a long time ago; the shields and crossed arms that also decorated the walls were equally familiar. As her gaze darted about at her surroundings, Tatsuya and Ryu kept a watchful eye on the others in the chamber while Wakaba and Shiori trailed along just behind her. (And there are the two windows that look out on the courtyard below . . .) Utena added, again noting a feature of the hall right where she expected it to be. The delicate fingers of a hand reaching up to lightly fondle the brooch from the fallen champion of Love, the rose-haired lady searched through her memories.  
  
Her parents had died here in the highlands, stranding her all alone in a place hopelessly unfamiliar. Somehow, a local lord had found her and arrangements had been made to return her to her remaining relatives from her home in the lowlands, but that entire time was hazy, it happening a very long time ago. All that she was sure of was her pledge to find a new champion and free Love from some sort of horrible fate. What that fate was, she couldn't recall; all she could remember was the sense of seeing eternal torment.  
  
Her aquamarine gaze swept over those there, noting how happy and content the people of Clan Kiryuu seemed. From what she could tell, her eye trained in the way of supplies, households and the like told her that this was a clan that saw that its people were taken care of very well. Smiles were everywhere, the laughter raucous and lighthearted, the singing happy, and the dancing energetic. Nowhere she looked did Utena see the signs of poverty and disease. It spoke well for the young lord in charge of the folk. Then she spotted him, and it seemed as if her very breath was stolen away.  
  
Tall and lean, he looked the very essence of a dashing prince in his glittering court finery, his scarlet mane set off gorgeously by the white cyclas upon which his arms were emblazoned. In all her travels in her quest to find a new champion, she had yet to see another who was equally magnificent. Yet as she stared at him, an odd feeling came over her, causing her to blink in faint astonishment. In the low illumination of the Great Hall, his hair took on a darker shade -- and for a moment, she thought she saw in him a familiar visage, like that of a face within a dream. Then the sensation was gone, leaving her to continue staring at him in wonder. (Could he be the one?)  
  
Upon the dais, the troupe of musicians finished up their current piece and proceeded to tune up for yet another dance. Hearing what sounded to Nanami to be a rather stately and slow dance, full of regal moves and closeness between dancing partners, she gently tugged on her brother's muscular arm. "My lord, dance with me, please?" she implored, turning her violet gaze up to her beloved sibling. Always before, he had honored her request for such sport when she asked; they had grown up learning the ways of proper courtly dancing together, partnering one another.  
  
"Not now, Nanami," Touga gently declined, patting her hand where it rested against his arm with his own hand. Nicely yet firmly removing her grasp from himself, he held out his golden chalice to his sister. "Do me a favor and hold this for me." Then he walked away from her, never once looking back as he crossed the distance between himself and the enchanting maiden that had so dazzled him.  
  
"But . . ." the blonde noblewoman began to protest, a heartbroken expression on her beautiful face. She took a step toward her brother's retreating form, only to visibly wilt as it became quite apparent that the chieftain had utterly dismissed her from his mind. Holding the cup in her hand, the yellow metal still warm from where he had been holding it, Nanami's hurt look slowly turned to one of indignant anger as she watched *her* dear brother flutter around the pink haired girl like a moth around a flame.  
  
"Can it be?" Touga softly murmured, stepping up to stand before the heavenly maiden. "Can it truly be the same innocent I rescued from being stranded in the deep forest? My lady, you are far lovelier than I had ever imagined." Staring at that fascinating head of rose pink hair, the color seemed to strike a chord. It looked almost like hair he'd seen a long time ago.  
  
Utena looked up at him, blushing faintly at his charming words. Even so, there was something almost overwhelming about him, a something that made her wary of his advances. According to Shiori, the Kiryuu lord had something of a reputation when it came to those of the fairer sex; there was little doubt in Utena's mind that a noble as comely as Touga was would ever truly lack for the attention of the women around him. "You flatter me, my lord," she gently protested, demurely averting her gaze. Yes, she had come here to observe the somewhat famous Red Tyger and see if he could be the champion she sought, but she needed to keep a clear head in order to conduct her quest in a rational manner.  
  
"Please . . . Would you do me the honor of a dance?"  
  
"I don't know . . ." Utena hesitated, caution and curiosity both warring within her. Behind her, Wakaba and Shiori looked on in utter amazement while the pair of men at arms frowned in faint annoyance at their lady seemingly made to be uncomfortable.  
  
"Come now, fair lady. Surely one dance won't harm anything," Touga purred. Noticing the expressions on her protectors' faces, he smiled at the two youthful warriors. "You truly have nothing to fear for your lady here. I am always the most gracious of hosts."  
  
Utena could feel her blush deepen. He did seem to be as gallant as the stories would have one believe. Looking for a way to change the subject, she turned her aquamarine gaze to her companions. "My lord, I'd like to introduce you to my handmaidens. Wakaba, Shiori, Lord Touga of Clan Kiryuu." The two in question hastily executed curtsies, their skirts brushing against the herb-perfumed reeds. "And my escort, Tatsuya and Ryu." The pair of black-clad youths bowed in response.  
  
"A pleasure, I'm certain," the highland chieftain replied, nodding ever so slightly at the small entourage. "And what of you, my lady? Must I forever be in the dark as to the name by which mankind knows such loveliness?"  
  
"Oh," the rose haired maiden gasped, realizing her slight breach of etiquette. "Forgive me. I'm Lady Utena Tenjou of Rosehaven."  
  
"Rosehaven?" Touga inquired, arching a scarlet eyebrow over a cobalt-azure eye. This vision of loveliness was the daughter of a lowland banneret, then?  
  
"Aye," she acknowledged, nodding. "'Tis in a kingdom to the south of here."  
  
"Well, the pleasure is definitely all mine," the highland lord replied, reaching out to take her hand in his and raise it to his mouth. Blue eyes watched her as he pressed warm lips against the back of her hand, letting the kiss linger there for a few beats longer than propriety demanded. Lowlander she may be, but what little he'd seen of her convinced him that she could possibly hold her own among the people of the highlands -- especially if she knew how to use that dirk he had seen sheathed at her side.  
  
The tiniest thrill of something ran down Utena's spine, but only until she realized that he was kissing her far longer than was proper. Eyes flashing in sudden irritation at the assumed familiarity, the maiden snatched her hand away from him. "Control yourself, my lord," she said in a low hiss.  
  
Stepping back, Touga held out his arms to either side in a gesture of peacemaking. "Lady Utena, please. Don't be like that. Surely you'll forgive a poor man for becoming dazzled by your radiance."  
  
"I'm much more forgiving to those who display proper manners," the pink-maned noblewoman replied. Stepping past him, she gathered up her long skirts to keep from dragging the rushes about as she walked. "At the moment, I'm more interested in a hot meal than a dance."  
  
"Then allow me to make up my lack of manners to you, Lady Utena," the Kiryuu prince offered. "I have yet to eat as well. I'll serve you up your supper as well as mine, and let us get to know one another better through conversation as we dine."  
  
She paused in midstride, glancing back at him, blue eyes glimmering with an expression of faint suspicion. "Very well, if that is what you wish, my lord." Turning and shifting her focus on her retainers, Utena gave them a gentle smile. "Be off with you and get something to eat as well. I shall come find you should I have need of you, but for now, I should be fine in the company of Lord Touga." After all, there was little he could do to her there in the very public setting of the Great Hall. Besides, she was a guest, and should be treated accordingly by the rules of the ancient and sacred tradition of Hospitality.  
  
Though her handmaidens curtsied and rapidly made themselves scarce, the pair of men at arms hesitated a moment. Encouraged to do as she commanded by a nod from the rose haired maiden, they too wandered off, Tatsuya taking the same direction Wakaba had chosen.  
  
Her attention back on the regal-appearing redheaded lord, Utena gave him a hesitant smile. "Lead the way, my lord. I fear I'm hungry enough to devour an entire horse."  
  
"Hmm," Touga purred, an amused expression on his handsome face. "I'm afraid you'll have to settle for venison. We ate the last of the horse only yesterday."  
  
Blinking, she stared at him as he walked up to stand next to her, taking her arm in his. At the playful wink of a cobalt-blue eye, she suddenly realized that he was joking. Laughing despite herself, she let him lead her to where the deliciously scented food was arranged on the linen-covered trestle tables. 


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
The stew was heavenly, the broth a delicious blend of spices that complimented the chunks of vegetables swimming within. The venison was also divine, the succulent meat perfectly roasted and then braised in an onion, mint and red wine sauce. Holding down a piece of the meat with her two-pronged fork, Utena sliced off a morsel with her plain and very serviceable eating dagger. Stabbing it with the point of the knife, she raised the meat to her lips and pulled it off the utensil with her teeth. Next to her, the scarlet-haired highland chieftain chewed on a bite of his own supper, cobalt-hued gaze watching her.  
  
She sat at his right, in the place of honor there at the high table, her graceful form well-suited to the carved rosewood chair next to his throne-like one. Protocol dictated that since she was a lady of noble blood, he should not only share a trencher of stew with her, he should also choose the best of the meat for her, cut it up for her and feed it to her. However, she had had other thoughts; she had swiftly asserted her independence in such matters with glaring looks and soft sounds of distaste when he had attempted to treat her in a courtly manner. Taking the hints, Touga had let her dine at her own pleasure.  
  
Not that he truly minded. He liked the fact that she could be headstrong and stubborn when it came to her independence. He could probably easily forget that she was a lowlander.  
  
"The fare is absolutely wonderful, my lord," the rose-haired maiden pronounced, her voice easily heard over the sounds of a soft instrumental piece being played by the troupe of musicians. "My compliments to your cook and his staff."  
  
"I shall be sure to pass them along, my lady," Touga responded. Taking a sip of the sweet red wine -- Nanami had refilled his golden goblet, returning it to him as he had taken his seat at the high table, a sullen expression in her violet eyes -- he added, "So tell me, fair Utena, why exactly have you come to visit my domain?"  
  
"Well . . ." Utena began, pausing long enough to swallow a mouthful of the stew. "I'm on a quest."  
  
"A quest?" he echoed, surprised at the answer. Adventures such as those were more for knights and warriors than they were for angelic lowland maidens.  
  
"Aye. I seek a champion."  
  
(Ah. Well, *that* certainly is an endeavor appropriate to the talents of one of the fairer sex,) the redheaded lord silently mused, the hint of a smile coming to his face. "And just what sort of a champion are you searching for?"  
  
"A very special one," Utena murmured, lowering her dagger to the table and lifting her aquamarine gaze to stare at him.  
  
"And what sort of man would this 'special' champion be?" Touga gently insisted, leaning toward her slightly. The thought flashed through his mind that he could be what she was looking for, and he smiled just a bit more. He truly liked that idea, the longer he mulled it over. There was something utterly captivating about her.  
  
"He would have to be one who would champion the virtues of Love . . ." she responded, looking away, slender fingers resting lightly on the cool metal of her eating dagger.  
  
A scarlet eyebrow arched upward at her words; again, it was an answer that he hadn't expected. (Love?) he wondered, continuing to stare at her.  
  
Of course, he was familiar with the concept of courtly love. Troubadours and minstrels sang the virtues of those who loved on a purely spiritual plane, the great ladies of the land held courts where questions of love and romance were asked and answered, and many a chivalrous knight sought inspiration and hope from their love's token and presence. It was quite the fashion in the lowlands, though the highlanders were too practical and pragmatic a folk to pursue such a sport in a passionate manner. As the prince of the Kiryuu, he had gone to some of the great courts as the representative of his clan, so he had observed the sport of romance as practiced there. That the maidens and ladies adored it so was all the impetus he had needed to adopt such mannerisms himself.  
  
She was still looking away, her gaze focused on some distant point. In the ambient light of the Great Hall, her wavy pink hair took on a darker hue, one that tantalized Touga with a half-forgotten memory. "Forgiveness, generosity, honesty, justice, mercy, and trust . . ." he spoke, his voice a low purr, reciting the six virtues held above all others in the pursuit of courtly love. Her hair shimmering in the firelight, it beckoned to him, urging him to reach out and stroke it, to discover if it was as soft as it appeared to be.  
  
"What -- what do you know of the virtues?" Utena queried, still looking away. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks as a blush, her heart suddenly in her throat. The very idea that this gorgeous chieftain could be the one she had been searching for made a thrill shiver down her spine. Something about him made her fervently wish that he could be the one after all.  
  
(Her romantic quest must mean a great deal to her, to make her react so,) Touga idly noted, observing his companion's growing nervousness. That he too was having some sort of an effect on her was made clear as her maidenly blush deepened slightly when he leaned closer to her. He felt a smug sense of satisfaction at seeing her respond to his presence like many other women had reacted before. "I know that to truly follow the ways of Love, one must be free of the poison of the sins of Hate," he murmured in reply. "A heart dedicated to Love must be large enough to be forgiving of the fallacies of us imperfect humans, must be generous to those in need, must be honest in the dealings with others, must uphold the tenets of justice and never arbitrarily settle a matter, being merciful in such judgements . . ." Giving in at last to the temptation, he reached out and ran the slender fingers of a hand through her shimmering, wavy pink-hued hair. "And above all, it must be trusting of the one it loves . . ."  
  
It had all the softness of the finest of silks, the rose-colored strands flowing over his skin like water. An unusual sensation washed over him, making his breath catch in his throat. The delicate shade of pink, the soft feel of it . . .  
  
The slight tug on her hair brought her back to reality. Softly gasping in sudden outrage, she shoved his hand away, irritation narrowing her aquamarine eyes. "Curb your familiarity, my lord," she commanded.  
  
He pulled his hand back, strangely afraid of the wrath he saw in her lovely eyes. "Forgive me. You're absolutely right. I should have controlled myself." Leaning back, he found himself fervently wishing that his impulse hadn't turned any possible affection into dislike. "But I truly couldn't help it, fair lady."  
  
The color in her cheeks now was due to her continued annoyance at her companion's lack of polite manners. "Enough flattery, my lord."  
  
Touga nodded slightly, setting his mind to regaining his suave composure. "What will you do once you've found this champion you seek?" He truly was curious about her quest, though it seemed a little on the silly side as far as he was concerned.  
  
"I need him to perform a task that only he can achieve," Utena responded, her voice low as her angry expression slowly faded.  
  
"What is this task, my lady?"  
  
"I . . . No, I cannot say, not to anyone other than the champion I seek," she replied, once more turning her azure gaze to staring off into the distance. Strangely enough, she looked haunted now, as if she carried a great weight on her slender shoulders.  
  
He felt a small stab within his heart at seeing her so troubled. He suddenly wanted to reach out to her and gather her in his arms, to stroke that silken mane of hers and tell her that he could deal with all of her troubles. "And what would happen should he achieve this task successfully?" he softly murmured, cobalt gaze fixed upon her beautiful form.  
  
Utena turned to stare at him again, gorgeous eyes wide in sudden amazement. (What would happen?) she asked herself, abruptly realizing that that was a question she had never dwelled upon. Always, ever since the night she had seen Love's suffering, she had focused upon saving the tortured maiden. "I . . . I fear I've not thought that far ahead. The quest itself has taken all my energy."  
  
"Would you consider such a man worthy of your own love?" the redheaded chieftain queried in response, blue gaze still fastened upon her. "Could you find it within your heart to marry the champion you find?"  
  
(Marry? Would I have as a husband such a man?) Frowning thoughtfully, she turned the idea this way and that, exploring the possibility. So focused was she on her promise that again, this was something she had never truly brought to mind. Even so, she knew; she would want such a man for her own love and protector. "Aye," Utena finally said, the syllable a soft breath. "I would marry none other." The more she dwelt upon the thought, the more convinced she became. No other would do for her, save the champion she discovered, for he would be all those ideals she had kept close to her heart for so long.  
  
A flash of silken pink hair, a cherubic visage . . . The image hung there in the back of his mind, tantalizing. (Could it be possible?) Touga wondered, taking a sip of wine from his golden cup. So intent was he on the puzzle and the sight of her that he truly didn't notice at all the taste of the deep red liquid as he swallowed it. "Lady Utena . . . Do your parents yet live?"  
  
Surprised by his question, she gave him a look of mild astonishment. It seemed quite the change in subjects, to be honest. (Perhaps he wishes to let my family know that I've arrived at his stronghold safely?) she thought, trying to deduce his reason for asking the question. "No, my lord, they do not," she answered, shaking her head in a negative gesture. Taking a moment to eat a couple more spoonfuls of her cooling stew, she continued, "They died a long time ago, when I was a little girl."  
  
"If I may be so bold, what happened to them?" Touga asked, that odd sensation getting stronger. A thrill of fear hung there, though he couldn't say why he was afraid of what he would discover.  
  
Utena dug around in the remains of her stew, scraping off some of the soaked bread of the trencher that acted as a bowl. The image of long ago came back to her from where she had buried it: the carnage, the crimson blood staining the ground, the absolute terror and sense of overwhelming loss. "We were on our way to someplace here in the highlands, though I don't recall now what our destination was to be," she responded, her voice a barely heard whisper. Her mind focused on the memories of long ago, she didn't notice the scarlet-haired lord next to her lean closer again to catch her words over the strains of the gently playing music. "As we were passing through a great stand of evergreens, our party was set upon by men who came pouring out of the woods. We were surrounded, Father and our knights fighting furiously with the strangers. Nurse grabbed me and ran, somehow making it past the ring of strangers, and she fled with me, carrying me into the forest. A couple of the strangers broke off attacking our party and chased after us . . ." She picked around again in her trencher, idly stirring the contents, her thoughts a million miles away. Distantly, she could recall the sounds of steel on steel, the shouts of outrage and the cries of pain, the screams of the women, the harsh panting of her frightened nurse's breathing. Face turning pale, she resumed her low-voiced narrative. "Nurse fell, tripping on something. I hurt my knee, but I was otherwise all right. She screamed at me to run, and I did. The strange knights . . ."  
  
Next to her, Touga's face took on a slightly pained expression; she had gone through so much. Noting her just sitting there silently, her skin far whiter than was its normal wont, he gently prodded her with another question. "How did you escape?"  
  
"I . . . found a fallen log, one hollowed out by decay. I couldn't outrun them, not their horses, so I crawled into the hollow. They were too busy with Nurse to see me take shelter there . . ." Again she could hear the horrible screaming, the terrible sounds; tears welled up in her aquamarine eyes. "They rode off, shouting at one another to find me. I stayed there for a long time, until the sun was low in the west. It was silent around me, save for only the noises of the forest animals."  
  
"Did you go back to where your parents had been?"  
  
Utena nodded, her mind recalling the sanguine scene that had greeted her young gaze there. "They were all dead, their blood staining the ground. I didn't understand at first. Mother was lying atop Father, and I tried to rouse them both, but they didn't move. But then I realized the truth, realized that I was all alone. I ran away from the scene, into the forests. I tried to run away from it all, but I couldn't . . ."  
  
God how he wanted to reach over and comfort her yet again in that moment. She looked so vulnerable and scared just then as she relived being the little girl she had once been. Touga frowned, taking another sip of the wine in an effort to curb his almost overwhelming impulse. The story she told sounded like one he'd heard before, and again he caught a flash of a memory, of a girl-child trailing after him, looking upon him with a mixture of happiness and trust. Suddenly feeling very brittle, the scarlet-haired lord slowly lowered his golden chalice to the surface of the high table. "What happened to you next, Lady Utena?"  
  
"I ran and ran, and then a storm came. I fell off a cliff into a lake . . ."  
  
It was her! He stared at her, blinking in astonishment, seeing in her now the promise at which her child self had hinted. The rose-colored hair was perhaps a few shades lighter now, her face angelic instead of cherubic, but the eyes were as he remembered them. After so long, had Fate truly brought her back to him? "And then?" He wanted her confirmation, wanted to hear from those tempting lips of hers that she was the girl he had saved from the waters of the lake all those years ago.  
  
Utena stirred in her stew a bit more. How could she explain her vision and her determination to live for the day she could free Love from her eternal torment? He would probably laugh at her and call it a fanciful hallucination. No, she would keep that vision to herself, sharing it only with the champion she found. *He would understand, the moment he touched Love's Honor. "I'm not certain, though I must have been pulled from the waters or perhaps I managed to swim to shore. The next thing I clearly recall is waking up in the stronghold of a local lord. I stayed a few days there, until my identity became known, the news of my parent's death had been spread and my remaining family had come to take me home to Rosehaven. I do remember . . ."  
  
Touga leaned over just a bit more, straining to catch her next words. "Aye?"  
  
"There was someone there, someone I trusted . . . Someone I knew would take care of me . . ."  
  
"Who was this person?"  
  
(Who was it?) Utena asked herself, fingers of a hand reaching up to stroke the gold and ruby brooch fastened to the neckline of her sideless surcoat. (I can't recall, only that I knew I was safe around that one.) Try as she might, neither a face nor an image came to her. All she could see in her mind's eye was the spirit of Love struggling against the hatred-poisoned thorns of those gold and silver roses. "I'm sorry, my lord," she finally said, giving up the effort. "I can't remember. It was too long ago."  
  
The disappointment gave him a bitter taste in his mouth. Frowning, his ire suddenly sparked, he snatched up his cup once more and took a long drink of the wine, trying to wash the bitterness away. Though she may not remember him, he certainly had the memory of her. She had followed him everywhere, always wanting to be near him. Those few times when his mother had tried to keep her in the women's solar along with his younger sister Nanami, the rose-haired girl had withdrawn into a silent brooding that only lifted when she was allowed to trail along after the Kiryuu heir.  
  
And he had come to appreciate the child's company, that fierce protectiveness that had come upon him as he had ridden home with her remaining in his heart. He had sworn to see to it that nothing would harm her so long as she remained among his clan, and despite his youth -- he had only been of ten winters then -- it had been a self-imposed duty he had taken seriously. He recalled the day her still living relatives had come to take her away with a bit of nostalgic sadness; though understanding why she had to leave with them, he had wanted her to stay where he could continue to watch over her.  
  
As Touga gazed upon her now, seeing the young woman she had become, he realized just how much he had missed her after her family had claimed her. Now that she was once more at his side, he found himself disliking the idea of ever letting her go again. Circumstances had been beyond his control back then; he had power now, and the ability to care for her if only she'd allow it. The boyish affection he had had for her turned into something else, changed by his awareness of her as a young lady almost grown. Somehow, some way, he would make her his. (But to do that, I must prove to her that I am the champion she seeks for this mysterious task,) he silently mused.  
  
The scrape of the rosewood chair against the dais floor caught his attention. Utena slowly rose from her seat, her expression one of mild distress. Faintly alarmed by the look, the Kiryuu chieftain stood also, holding out a hand in case he should need to swiftly steady her. She didn't look well from what he could observe.  
  
"Forgive me. I think I need some fresh air," Utena said, looking about the Great Hall for a way out. Too many images long buried had been stirred up by her tale; she needed to get out of the crowded and noisy chamber, away from everyone in order to recompose herself. She hated letting anyone see how vulnerable she had once been. Never again would she ever be as helpless as she had been on that dark and bloody day.  
  
(Fresh air . . . Outside?) The thought triggered a memory, bringing to mind the two of them. He could see her again, the little girl he had saved, her enchanting gaze staring up at him . . .  
  
(Everyone here says I'm such a pretty girl. Why do they say that?)  
  
(Because you are pretty.)  
  
(I am?)  
  
(Haven't you looked at yourself in the still water of a pond? Or in the surface of a silver mirror?)  
  
(No . . .)  
  
(Well, you are. And do you know what's the prettiest thing about you?)  
  
(What's that?)  
  
(Your eyes. They shine as brightly as the stars in the heavens.)  
  
(The stars?)  
  
(Haven't you ever seen the stars? They're the little points of light in the night sky.)  
  
(No. I'm always told to stay inside when the sun goes down. I've never been outside at night.)  
  
(Tell you what . . . Would you like me to show you the stars?)  
  
(Oh aye! I would like that very much.)  
  
(Then I promise. I'll show you the stars and how brightly they shine.)  
  
"Lady Utena, come with me," Touga said, stepping next to her and offering her his arm. (Would she remember those words? That promise?)  
  
Despite her feeling of illness and her need to retreat from the large hall, the young noblewoman narrowed her eyes in suspicion at her companion. Was he attempting yet more liberties with her person? "What are you about, Lord Touga?"  
  
"Nothing harmful, I swear," he responded, doing his best to reassure her. "I'm merely offering to escort you to a place where you can get the fresh air you want. Please . . . Once I lead you outside, I will leave you in peace should you so desire."  
  
Her aquamarine gaze lingered over him before she finally acquiesced. Taking his arm in hers, she stiffly nodded. "Very well, I accept your offer."  
  
A ghost of a smile turned up the corners of his mouth as he lead her from the dais there next to the large fireplace. Around them, the jovial atmosphere continued, the rest of the clan drinking, dancing and frolicking to the energetic music now being played by the troupe of entertainers. Past the fireplace he guided her, across the relatively short distance from there to the iron-bound wooden door in the center of the tapestry covered wall, her other hand holding her skirt up so that the fabric wouldn't drag on the rushes covering the oaken floor. Pulling open the door with his free hand, he entered the antechamber with her, leaving it for someone else to shut it once they had passed. Cupboards rested against the walls of this room, with plain wooden chairs of simple construction arranged in groupings throughout the space. Torches set in metal brackets fastened to the upper areas of the walls illuminated the room, just as similar ones lit up the other chambers Utena had seen of the keep. Also like the other rooms, tapestries were hung here and there, partially as decoration and partially as insulation against sound and weather both.  
  
They walked through the room at an angle, the tall nobleman heading for the archway over in the corner of the room off to their left. From what she could recall of the structure's layout, it was there that the spiral staircase that ran throughout the entire height of the keep would be found. Utena remained silent as they walked along the short passageway to the stone flight of stairs, but when her escort started to travel upwards, she hesitated, frowning. "Where are you taking me, Lord Touga?"  
  
"Please, my lady, let me surprise you," he replied, pausing and looking down at her, his expression one hard to read in the flickering light of the torches.  
  
Her response for a long moment was only to silently stare up at him, her look one torn between suspicion and irritation.  
  
"Come now, Lady Utena. You seek a champion for Love, yet you cannot be trusting yourself?" Touga gently chided her, hoping to turn her ideals against her.  
  
"Very well," she murmured, her back stiffening. (How dare he imply that I don't follow the virtues of Amor?) Turning her gaze to focus straight ahead, she started up the stone steps.  
  
Grinning slightly at his little victory, he walked with her; arm in arm, the highland lord and the lowland lady ascended to the top story of the keep. From the short passageway accessing the stairs, Touga lead her through three more chambers. The first, the one that the archway opened upon, seemed to be an office; the furnishings and décor there were consistent with what Utena knew to be that which was necessary to keep track of the accounts of the demense's income and what taxes would be owed to the crown. The door through which he escorted her next revealed what seemed to be a plush bedchamber with a decidedly feminine air. The large four-poster bed was draped with delicate and gauzy curtains, the tapestries here were of floral designs and scattered about were the signs of weaving and sewing, including a small loom and embroidery hoops on stands. "My sister Nanami's chamber," Touga explained as he strode across the carpet-covered floor to the ironbound oaken door opposite the one through which they had entered.  
  
Utena remained quiet as they passed from the bedchamber into what appeared to be the women's solar. Another room with a decidedly feminine atmosphere, she could make out in the torchlight a number of large looms in the corner, baskets of wool with drop spindles and carding brushes nearby, more embroidery hoops and chairs, chests and other pieces of furniture that gave evidence of this place being where most of the work of the handmaidens would be done. Around a corner in the curving outer wall she was lead, arm resting lightly against the crook of Touga's; the short passageway the arched entrance accessed lead to a sturdy wooden ladder. Letting go of her, the scarlet-haired chieftain gave her a smile. "Allow me to open the hatch for you."  
  
"We're going up onto the roof?" the young noblewoman asked.  
  
"Aye. You'll get your fresh air there. And there's something I'd like to show you."  
  
"Whatever could that be?" Utena queried.  
  
The smile he gave her was tender and mysterious all at once. "You'll see, my lady." Turning away, his long hair fanning out slightly as he did so, he nimbly climbed up the ladder's rungs. Sensitive fingertips brushed against the underside of the hatch until he found the iron bolt that locked it shut. The sharp noise it made as he shoved it open echoed in the narrow confines of the hallway. A heave and a grunt and the hatch lifted upwards; he took a couple more steps up, pushing the square-shaped door to bang against the stone flooring of the level outer ring of the roof of the keep. Looking up into the night sky, he grinned as he could see the glittering points of the stars high ahead. It was a perfect, clear night, and the sight was a stunning one. Finishing his ascent, Touga crouched down in a kneel next to the dark square in the floor and leaned over, extending a hand back down. "Gather up your skirts and be careful, Lady Utena," he directed.  
  
Frowning in slight annoyance -- did he truly think she was that helpless? -- the rose-haired maiden grabbed a handful of her attire's fabric and lifted it up so that she could take the ladder safely. One by one she stepped on the rungs, feeling the Kiryuu prince's hand on her shoulder to help steady her up the rest of the way. As she started to step out onto the flat stone roof, his hand shifted, taking her free one in it and tugging her up the rest of the way. A cool breeze wafted past, sending her hair dancing in its wake; she instantly felt better with the coldness tickling along her exposed skin.  
  
Pulling her closer, Touga murmured, "Look up, into the sky. What do you see?"  
  
Curious, she did as asked, too intent upon seeing what he wanted to show her to notice how close he held her against his tall, lean form. Above them, the vault of the night-blackened sky soared on into infinity, the velvety darkness dappled by the sight of the sparkling stars in all their glory. Twinkling points of white -- many of them tinged in silver-blue, orange, red and yellow -- glimmered and shone like the most precious of gems. "The stars," she whispered back, aquamarine eyes taking in the wondrous panoply. Of course she had seen them before, but at that moment, it was as if she was truly looking at them for the very first time.  
  
"They are glorious, are they not?"  
  
"Aye . . ." Utena responded. (Would you like that?) a soft voice in the back of her mind queried.  
  
(Aye, I would!)  
  
(Then I'll show you the stars . . .)  
  
Taking in a deep breath, the pink-maned maiden suddenly took notice of how close she was to the gorgeous lord, feeling his strong form against hers through their clothing. "Don't! Don't get so close to me," she protested, pulling away.  
  
Suppressing his growl of annoyance, Touga managed to softly chuckle as if her reluctance was of no consequence. "Forgive me." He let go of his hold on her, content to just stand there and watch her as she walked about the keep's roof. He had caught the look of awe and wonder on her face as she had stared up in the sky; her reaction was enough to give him hope.  
  
Utena slowly made her way over to the battlements along the outermost edge of the keep, her slender fingers stroking along the weathered stone. The highland chieftain left her confused, her emotions in turmoil. Part of her wanted to stay near him while the other part insisted on keeping herself independent and focused upon her promise to end Love's torment. Underneath that star-spangled sky, she could see the wooded lands surrounding the Kiryuu stronghold, the ridges on either side rising up to meet the horizon. (He must surely be the ruler of all he surveys,) she mused.  
  
Cobalt gaze focused upon her silhouette, Touga observed her as she stared out into the distance. Her beauty and her innate nobility surrounded her like a mantle, taking his breath away. He knew, without a doubt, that she was the one meant for him, his one true princess. He couldn't bear the thought of being parted from her; the idea made him feel hollow and empty inside. "You're beautiful."  
  
His words called out to her, catching her attention. Whirling, she gave him a look of exasperation. "What? Not that again, please . . ."  
  
"It's true. Your beauty and nobility shine on everything."  
  
Utena sighed, the inner emotional chaos only becoming stronger.  
  
Touga stared at her. "Is there any way I could be this champion you seek? After all, I do believe you are my one true princess."  
  
"I -- I don't know . . ."  
  
His booted feet made gentle sounds against the stone surface as he approached her. "Let me try. I'll do what it takes to prove myself worthy," he implored, kneeling down at her feet. Never before had he been so serious, save for a vow taken long ago to keep this very same girl safe from the dangers of the world. Taking her right hand in his left, the curtain of his long scarlet hair slid forward to shelter his face as he tenderly kissed the back of her hand. "Allow me this chance, precious lady. I implore you . . ."  
  
Utena shivered at the brush of his soft lips against her skin. Feeling suddenly lightheaded, she could only stare down at him in wonder. He appeared earnest and sincere, abruptly humble there before her as he knelt on the cool stone floor. Swallowing hard, it took a slight effort to find her voice. "There are tasks I must impose to have proof that you are the one I seek."  
  
"Name them and I shall do my utmost to achieve them."  
  
"I must have some time to think of suitable ones, my lord," the rose-haired noble replied.  
  
"Then time you shall have. Just name your tasks when you are ready, dear Utena," Touga said, hand still holding hers. He slowly rose, once again attaining his normal height. "For now, would you honor me with a dance?"  
  
"Here? Now?"  
  
"Aye. The stars are perfect jewels to compliment your beauty, and the sounds of nature all the music we need." He stepped closer, gently grasping her in a hold for one of the slower, statelier dances. The night breeze swirled past them, making their silken manes of scarlet and rose ripple slightly.  
  
Looking up at him, seeing the hope and the fear of rejection there in his lovely azure eyes, Utena felt her resolve crumbling. One dance couldn't hurt, especially now that she had agreed to allow him to prove his worthiness to be the champion of Love she so desperately sought. To deny him would extinguish the warm light she saw deep within the cobalt depths of his eyes. "Very well," she whispered, surrendering to his hold.  
  
Elegant and graceful, the two of them moving in perfect accord, they danced there under the light of the stars. The playful nighttime wind swirled their hair and rippled their clothing as they stepped this way and that, their bodies almost against one another, the fingers of a hand intertwined. All was peaceful as their entire world narrowed down to just the night, the stars, the dance and the beauty of that seemingly timeless moment. 


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
The dance ended as spontaneously as it had started, the two of them letting go of one another, mutually taking a step back. Where Touga felt a growing sense of profound peace, Utena continued to feel unsure. No longer did he have the feeling that something precious was slipping away; once more she wondered if she was somehow being foolish, letting her guard down around the around the mysterious and elegant Red Tyger.  
  
"Lady Utena?"  
  
"Aye?" she softly responded, aquamarine gaze steady upon his visage.  
  
"Please . . . Once again, I beg you to forgive me. I've been utterly uncouth and overly forward both, making you uncomfortable even though that certainly wasn't my intent. You must certainly think me a typical highland boor." He made no move to get closer; he stood there, unmoving, staring back at her. Giving her a somewhat abashed smile, he ran the fingers of a hand through his wind-caressed scarlet hair.  
  
"I'm not overly used to such attentions," Utena replied, turning slightly and glancing once again up at the twinkling stars. "All I've truly thought upon is my quest." (And I swore an oath that I would never be so helpless again,) she mentally added, the echoes of her parents' deaths sounding once more in the back of her mind.  
  
"I promise to comport myself in a seemly manner from this point on," the Kiryuu chieftain said, low voice holding a solemn note of conviction. "I swear I won't knowingly make you uncomfortable again."  
  
High above in the eastern sky, a bright streak flew across the velvety darkness. Though she tracked the path of the falling star with her gaze, he words were directed at her companion there. "I forgive you, Lord Touga."  
________________  
  
It was about time they came back. Her lips turned down in a pouting frown, Nanami watched as her darling brother and that abnormal pink-haired woman returned to the Great Hall. The blonde girl's scowl deepened, not liking the rather dreamy expression on her older sibling's face. Though they had left the celebration arm in arm, Nanami was quick to notice that they didn't return in that same manner. Lady Utena had walked in first, the tall form of the highland chieftain trailing along behind her. (Perhaps there's nothing to fear after all?) the violet-eyed Kiryuu thought, a satisfied smile replacing her scowl. (I just knew my dear brother wouldn't like a maiden of that sort.)  
  
Touga halted there before the hearth, the firelight dancing over him and casting his face into shadow. Nanami continued to observe the rose-haired lady's progress as she continued on into the heart of the hall, gracefully making her way through the Kiryuu clanmembers drinking, dancing and otherwise enjoying themselves. Noting that the stranger's goal was to speak with her handmaidens -- Utena had stopped near the longer haired servant and had gestured for the shorter-haired brunette to join them -- the blonde girl swiftly decided to take the opportunity to perhaps get that dance after all. Picking up her orange and yellow skirts, Nanami quickly made her way over to where her brother stood with his back to the cheerful blaze.  
  
"My lord?" she began, giving the chieftain a big grin and grasping him around the arm once more, hugging it to her. "That dance?"  
  
Turning his gaze from the angelic form of his chosen princess, Touga looked down at the blonde clutching his arm. She gazed adoringly up at him, a hopeful light in her violet eyes. (How she's grown, even in just the last couple of years,) he suddenly noticed. (I truly should give some serious thought on what marriage to arrange for her.) Nodding slightly, he gently took his sister's hand. "I think I can spare you a dance, Nanami."  
  
Leading her out to an open place on the rush-covered floor, the sweet scents of the crushed herbs hanging in the air, the Kiryuu prince moved through the steps of a stately dance, cobalt-blue gaze fastened upon his sibling. A spirited child, she had matured into a willful maiden, able to keep even the laziest of the household staff at staying on track with their chores. However, he had noticed a growing sullenness within her, dampening her inner fire. Inwardly frowning, he mulled over what could be the cause.  
  
"Thank you so much for the dance," Nanami said, smiling up at her wonderful sibling. He always knew what it would take to brighten her spirits.  
  
He echoed her smile, though he silently continued to pick apart the puzzle of what she'd become. Looking her over -- for once objectively, through the eyes of the clan's lord and not her older brother -- he could see the adult she would soon become there in the image of her. That awareness brought with it an uneasy feeling as he thought on her actions of late. Ever since their foster brother had been sent away, Nanami had become increasingly clingy while becoming more sure of her place as lady of the manor. (And the worst bouts of temper seem to be when I entertain thoughts on a future bride . . .)  
  
Fingers of a hand entwined, the two Kiryuu siblings continued the stately movements, their steps precise from long years of dancing with one another. The music swirled around them, and it was easy to consider them the most elegant and regal pair of those performing the dance. It didn't matter that earlier his attention was on another nor that they had left together; Touga was all hers in that moment, and Nanami loved every minute of it.  
  
"Nanami."  
  
"Aye, my lord?" she replied, still staring at him with a look of adoration on her beautiful face.  
  
"This should be the last dance I share with you," Touga softly answered, watching the reaction on her visage.  
  
Startlement, then disbelief, followed by a poignant hurt -- they played across the younger Kiryuu's face as she faltered in the steps and then came to a complete stop. For the span of a couple of heartbeats, she could only gape up at him, violet eyes wide. "B -- but why, my lord?" Nanami finally stammered out.  
  
"We're not children anymore," he began to explain, slipping a hand around her waist to gently guide her from the center of the hall's floor and toward the side where they could continue the discussion with fewer around to perhaps overhear. "I'm an adult now, the chieftain of the Kiryuu. For the good of the clan, I need to begin seriously the search for a wife -- "  
  
"No wife will ever know our people and our staff as well as I," Nanami said, her voice sharp as she interrupted her older sibling. "I'm the one who can make sure that the supplies aren't wasted, that the work's being done -- "  
  
"Nanami . . ." Touga growled. It wasn't seemly at all for her to cut his words off like that in public.  
  
"Take a wife if you must, but let me still run the household," the blonde noblewoman pleaded.  
  
"And what should my spouse do then? Sit around as a pretty decoration?" The young lord shook his head, discarding the idea. "No, dear sister. It's isn't right. It will be my lady wife's place to watch over my household."  
  
"Then what about *me*?" she asked, violet eyes reflecting her fear and continued hurt. What would happen to her once she had no place here? For as long as she could remember, she had done her best to be indispensable to her beloved brother, to carve out a little piece of security in an uncertain world. She had dreaded this possible talk for months, ever since she had turned thirteen.  
  
"Why you'll make some lucky nobleman a perfect spouse," Touga answered, giving his younger sibling a smile. After all, she had all the skills and talents -- bolstered by experience -- to be able to step into a manor and take control for the good of all. "Whoever marries you will gain a knowledgeable chatelaine who will see to it that his servants aren't cheating him and that all are comfortable and well cared for. Do for your husband as you have done for me and you will be eternally appreciated."  
  
"I don't *want* to be married. I don't *want* to run someone else's house. They won't know me and they'll hate me as an interloper come to take over command," the younger Kiryuu protested, shaking her head violently in a negative manner, the loose locks of her golden hair swirling about her distressed appearing face.  
  
"Nanami," the scarlet-maned lord said in mild exasperation. A swift glance around assured him that those perhaps close enough to hear the family discussion were too busy reveling to take note of his sister's increasingly agitated state. "You can't change the way the world works. Children grow up and get married, eventually having children of their own. It's not your place to act as my spouse; you're my sister."  
  
"You've found someone, haven't you?" the blonde noblewoman queried, her voice rising in pitch and volume alike with her growing distress. "And now you're just going to toss me aside like some useless piece of property."  
  
"Of course I'm not going to treat you in such a shabby fashion, Nanami," Touga replied, his voice low in a murmur meant to be reassuring. "You're my sibling after all, a Kiryuu of the royal blood. However . . ." His tone shifted, becoming at once hard and frosty. "It is none of your affair whether I've discovered someone worthy or not. What *is* your concern is the fact that you are of an age where negotiations for a suitable marriage should begin."  
  
Nanami only stared up at him, gawking, hurt and anger both reflected in her large violet eyes. She was going to be replaced, shoved away from what control she had and her familiar, comfortable surroundings. After all her hard work to maintain a place for herself in her brother's keep, she was still going to end up the property of some stranger, given in exchange for some trinket of power to adorn the Kiryuu coronet.  
  
Watching his sister turn pale and appear on the edge of swooning, Touga's irritation with the turn of the conversation increased. (Does she think me a monster for planning to do what is only right and natural?) Reaching out, he put a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Come now, Nanami. Surely the thought's not *that* terrible."  
  
"No, I won't do it," the slim blonde hissed, pulling roughly away from his touch. "I won't submit to some stranger, the privilege of disporting himself between my legs bought by some land or a pile of goods and gold, all for the glory of Clan Kiryuu. I refuse to be an object that can be beaten at will and seen as only a pretty bed toy."  
  
Touga stood there, staring at her in stunned silence, confused more by her assumptions about the situation than he was by her uncouth bluntness. This is what she had been dwelling upon, the thoughts that had been robbing her of her natural fire? "You wound me," he finally managed to choke out. "Do you *truly* see me as so callous by nature?"  
  
"You are the Kiryuu. I know you pretty well, dear brother," Nanami shot back, arms coming up to cross over her bosom. "If it means the well being and prosperity of the clan at large, you would sacrifice anything to achieve it."  
  
"But you are also a Kiryuu, and you are my little sister. Do you really think that means nothing to me?"  
  
"You're already determined to cast me out, no matter what."  
  
The scarlet-haired prince groaned, burying the elegant fingers of a hand in his long mane as he pressed a palm to his forehead in frustration. "And you are determined to have us speak in circles. Think with your mind and not with your heart for once. I understand your uneasiness at change, but I have your best interests at heart."  
  
"I know how you treat me," Nanami replied, her voice still full of barely suppressed fury. "You are kind and reasonable, honorable and chivalrous, but many a lord in this world are *not* that. But you are certainly one not above selling me off to the highest bidder if it means a greater good to the clan as a whole."  
  
Touga stared down at her, deep in thought. "Would you feel more at ease were you given to a man with which you were familiar?"  
  
"Well, of *course* I'd be more at ease with someone I already knew," she answered, her tone scathing. It seemed such a lackwitted question in the first place. "But there's none I know that I would be interested in marrying. I'm not *interested* in marrying at all."  
  
An image passed before his mind, the echoes of a number of memories hanging there. Lowering his hand from his forehead, Touga seized upon the idea, turning it over in his thoughts. What were its strengths? Where were its flaws? Would it be worth it to work on achieving it? Cobalt blue gaze focusing once more on his sister's elegantly gowned form, he gaze her a bit of a smile. "Enough talk of the future for now. The winter is over and we should celebrate. Tomorrow shall come soon enough."  
  
She just stood there, looking flushed in ire and uncannily fragile.  
  
The smile grew just a bit as he held his arms out to either side in a welcoming gesture.  
  
Recognizing it for the signal that it was, the blonde Kiryuu abruptly choked back a sob and rushed him, throwing her arms around her brother's magnificent form in a tight hug. She felt him hug her back, a hand gently stroking the loose golden locks of her hair. "Shh . . . It'll be all right, Nanami. I'll make sure it all works out. I promise."  
  
Despite it all, despite their conversation, she believed him. Everything would be all right.  
________________  
  
The only sounds that broke the peacefulness of the Great Hall were the popping of the hot coals burning in the fireplace, the snoring of some of the drunken partygoers who had passed out on the rush-covered floor or against the tapestry-covered walls and the occasional laughter or soft conversation between those still awake. The celebration had since wound down, with most of the ladies retiring for the night, including the youthful hostess once she had made one last round of the hall and kitchen to see that all was well.  
  
Azure eyes lifted up from where they had been gazing deep into the dark liquid of his golden chalice. Though far from being inebriated himself -- Touga had paced himself well when it came to sipping at his wine throughout the impromptu party -- he was certainly feeling warm and relaxed as he sat there in his ornate chair behind the high table. To his surprise, he noted that Utena and her two men at arms were among those still there in the large chamber.  
  
In all honesty, he had been concentrating on the idea that had sprung itself upon him at the end of his somewhat tense conversation with his adoring little sister -- so much so that he hadn't noticed the rose-haired lady's continued presence as she had spoken with the others there. The more he had looked it over, the more he thought about how good it would be for those involved. And that thought, coupled with the rediscovery of how beautiful Utena looked, brought a slight grin to Touga's lips.  
  
Glancing over at the table bolted to the wooden dais, Utena's breath caught in her throat at the discovery of the highland chieftain's gaze upon her once more. She had lingered in the large chamber in order to observe him and his people more, watching their interactions. Aside from what appeared to be a tense conversation with a golden haired girl who just had to be the lord's sister from the affectionate way she clung to him, Touga appeared to be what his clanmembers claimed: fair, intelligent, just, and a good ruler for them.  
  
Curiosity got the better of her; raising up her skirts enough to walk comfortably, she made her way over to the high table.  
  
"Lady Utena," Touga said by way of greeting, flashing her a smile. "I must confess to being slightly surprised to see you still here. Have your ladies retired for the night?"  
  
"Aye, they have," the rose-haired maiden replied. "However, I had wished to tarry a bit longer than they."  
  
The scarlet-maned lord merely gave his guest a slight nod of acknowledgement.  
  
Utena continued to stand there, glancing at him every so often then looking away again before she could be accused of staring. Into the silence, she finally asked, "So what are your plans for the morrow, my lord, if you don't mind my asking?"  
  
"Not at all. I don't mind you satisfying your curiosity," he said with a bit of a grin. "As for my plans, I believe I shall pay my brother a visit."  
  
"Your brother?" she echoed, perplexed. From what information she'd managed to gather from the people of Clan Kiryuu there, Lord Touga and Lady Nanami were the only offspring of the former chieftain.  
  
"Well, Lord Kyouichi Saionji's not truly a blood relative," he started to explain, taking another sip of what remained of his wine. "The heir of the neighboring clan, he was raised here at Kiryuu Keep. Father had demanded the Saionji's only son as a guarantee that the peace for which he'd sued would remain in effect."  
  
"He was a hostage, then?" Utena asked, lifting a thin eyebrow in surprise.  
  
"Aye. He was, but I always treated him like the brother I never had. He deserved better than being just a prisoner, an unwitting pawn because of an accident of birth. The feud between our clans did far more damage to the Saionji than it did us; noting what sort of man Kyouichi would be, I did what I could to see to it that he got whatever advantage he could living among us."  
  
"Advantages such as?"  
  
"A more comfortable life for one," Touga responded, setting his nearly empty chalice down. "The Saionji land isn't nearly as productive as ours, and the war between us only made things worse. He never went hungry or cold while he was here, and he learned the skills of a warrior from my own trainers. Together we watched Father administer the demesne, and I like to think that he picked up a better understanding of what it takes to be a good ruler in doing so. Kyouichi's father nearly ruined his clan."  
  
"And you did all this out of the generosity of your heart?" the pink-haired maiden asked.  
  
"More or less. Saionji -- " Touga softly chuckled, thinking back on the series of events leading up to his foster brother's choice of familiar address. "The other Kiryuu originally called him merely 'Saionji' as an insult, but he adopted it as a badge of honor, hence my calling him as such," he explained, then continued, "Saionji has always been a dreamer, an idealist. I consider him a friend as well as a brother, hence I used what leverage I could with Father to see to it that Saionji's potential was cultivated instead of left to wither. That he would one day be the lord of the lands next door to the west was only a fortunate bonus."  
  
"Meaning?" Utena urged. She was beginning to become somewhat fascinated by the Red Tyger's apparent intelligence.  
  
"Were he the meanest of peasants yet the same in personality, I would have done the same." It was a simple statement, but it showed an intriguing depth of character. "I always do my best to treat my friends well."  
  
"So what sparked your plans to visit him? When I first thought of traveling here, it was said that you would probably remain at Kiryuu Keep until well into springtime."  
  
"I realized just how much I miss having him around," Touga replied, elegantly shrugging. "Besides, I've heard lately that the winter wasn't kind to Clan Saionji and that the chieftain's ill. I'm their overlord, so it behooves me to see how they're faring."  
  
"I see," Utena softly murmured. She paused a moment, her azure gaze steady upon the gorgeous scarlet-haired noble, then queried, "Would you allow me to travel with you? After all, I must have more time to get to know you if I'm to discover if you are worthy of being the champion I seek."  
  
"Have you decided upon any tasks for me yet?"  
  
"No, I have not." She shook her head, the soft strands of her wavy, rose-colored hair glimmering faintly in the torchlight that illuminated the stone-walled Great Hall. "I know not enough about you to set challenges that would test your mettle."  
  
"If that's your wish, far be it for me to naysay you. I would be delighted to have your company while I visit Pinehaven," the young chieftain replied.  
  
"Pinehaven?"  
  
"That's the name of the fortress from which the Saionji rules his lands. It's a relatively short ride from here, but I would like to leave with the sun still in the eastern sky. Be ready to go when I call, if you please."  
  
The rose-haired maiden nodded. "I give you my word that I shall be ready to travel on the morrow." Giving him a bit of a smile, she held out the skirts of her attire and executed a little curtsy. "If you'll excuse me, I believe I shall retire for the night."  
  
"Good night then, Lady Utena. Sleep well and I shall see you come the morning," Touga said, lifting up his golden cup once more and lifting it in her direction in a little salute.  
  
"And you as well, my lord." Gracefully turning, Utena strode across the rush-covered wooden floor, making her way out of the Great Hall to return to the guestroom down below.  
  
The redheaded noble remained there, still as a statue, cobalt-blue gaze watching her until she disappeared from his sight. With that, he smiled and lifted the golden chalice to his lips, finishing off what remained of the deep red liquid within.  
________________  
  
Sunlight streamed through the canopy of evergreens, dappling the brush-covered ground below the crowns of the stately trees. A few lingering spots of mist hovered in the places where the shadows clung, not yet chased away by the golden rays of the sun and the mild temperature of the springtime morning. In mid-stride, a horse snorted and shook its head, making the tack jingle.  
  
The party that made its way along a dirt trail leading up over one of the ridges that defined the forested glen in which Clan Kiryuu lived was a small one. At the head, on a magnificent black charger, rode Touga, his lean form relaxed and obviously at ease perched atop the prime specimen of horseflesh. Behind him trailed along a quintet of clansmen, each one riding a sturdy rouncy, their lord's guest's people in the center of their formation. Tatsuya, Ryu, Wakaba and Shiori were astride their respective mounts, each one a hardy horse used to hours of casual traveling.  
  
Sitting atop her own white palfrey, Utena glanced over at the redheaded lord to her right. Although she and her people had been ready to ride at first light, Touga had insisted that they all broke their fast before mounting up and traveling to the other clanhold. She had to admit that sitting down at table and eating was much nicer than trying to eat on the move, and the morning meal served up had been a simple but very satisfying one.  
  
He certainly made for an enchanting sight, looking competent and dashing alike as he rode along the trail on an animal as gorgeous as he, his long hair shimmering in the daylight. The rose-haired maiden found herself growing a tad warm as she looked him over; that mane of scarlet-hued silk was perhaps his best feature -- save for his cobalt-blue eyes -- and practically begged to be touched by its appearance alone. In that moment, he looked every inch the prince she knew him to be.  
  
Feeling someone's gaze upon him, Touga flicked his own from the trail, searching for the source of the sensation. Noting the steady stare from aquamarine eyes, he smiled and gave his gentle companion a nod of acknowledgement. Utena once again was dressed in her rather masculine-seeming clothing, her long hair bundled up and hidden beneath her soft hat of rose-pink cloth. The dirk was once again sheathed at her side, and Touga found himself wondering just how knowledgeable she was in handling it. It could be intriguing to discover what skill in swordsmanship she possessed.  
  
A glance back to the way before him told him that they were nearing the top of the ridge. Once over the crest, they would be on the outskirts of the other clan's land. Holding up a gloved hand, he gave the silent order for the party of travelers to stop.  
  
"What is it?" Utena asked, looking around. Did the chieftain somehow sense some trouble?  
  
"There's nothing to fear," Touga quickly reassured her, catching the faint quaver of nervousness in her voice.  
  
"I'm not afraid," the maiden replied, frowning. Was her unease that obvious?  
  
The highland noble merely smiled, then continued on to explain, "As you well know, whenever a lord comes to visit a vassal, it is the responsibility of the vassal's household to support his lord and his lord's followers."  
  
Utena nodded. "Aye. There are some great lords who are misers, traveling from vassal to vassal to live off the households that must take them in, staying until the stores are nearly depleted and then moving on," she replied, a frown crossing her beautiful face. Such nobles truly disgusted her, to be honest; to endanger so many lives from such selfish greed was a horrid thing to do.  
  
"Indeed. And if the stories I've heard are true, then Saionji will be hard pressed to comfortably feed us as well as those already there at Pinehaven." Twisting in the saddle, Touga gestured to his escort of five warriors. "Fan out and go hunting. Bring what you capture on to the Saionji stronghold. Try to down enough meat for a fortnight if you can. Regardless of your success, report to Pinehaven when the sun is just above the western horizon."  
  
"Aye, m'lord," the quintet of Kiryuu clansmen responded. At the chieftain's signal to go, they scattered, riding off into the woods in different directions.  
  
When the last of them had disappeared into the shadows of the evergreen forest, Touga turned his attention back to his companion. "Once we cross over the summit, we shall be descending into Saionji territory. I truly don't anticipate any trouble; they are my vassals after all, and they honor their lord's agreement for peace despite any lingering hatred that may exist. Your two men at arms should be enough of an escort for us, and the meat will be appreciated."  
  
She stared at him, somewhat impressed. That he thought of others above himself was made more obvious; he truly cared about what was happening to the other clan.  
  
"Of course, I need to figure out a way to make my gesture not seem to be an insult," the scarlet-haired man added. Tapping his heels to his charger's ebony-hued flanks, he started riding along the trail once more.  
  
Urging her buff-colored palfrey into a matching pace, Utena continued riding at the chieftain's left. Behind them, Wakaba and Shiori softly talked amongst themselves, Ryu and Tatsuya flanking them and on the alert for any possible trouble.  
  
"How could being generous be seen as an insult, my lord?" the pink-attired maiden asked, startled by his words.  
  
"It could be seen as a gesture that I feel as if the Saionji couldn't properly support their overlord," Touga explained. "They do have their pride after all."  
  
Put that way, Utena could suddenly see what her companion meant. He did have a point. "So what are you going to do?" She couldn't help but be intrigued as to how he would handle the matter.  
  
"I'm going to offer it as a gift from one foster brother to another, as both a token of my wishes for his father's safe recovery from illness and as a celebration of the ending of winter. That should soften any thought Saionji may have that I must assume he cannot care for his own."  
  
It seemed a reasonable enough plan. Falling silent, Utena took to looking about herself as the small party continued on their journey. Reaching the crest, she tugged on the reins a moment to look down on the valley below. The forest continued there, though it seemed to her as if the canopy wasn't as dense. At the bottom of the glen, she could see the faintly shining silver ribbon of a small river, while here and there she could see fields of farmland carved out of the ancient woods. "You said that their lands aren't nearly as productive as yours?"  
  
Stopping as well, Touga let his azure gaze sweep over the land below. "Aye. They are a bit more sheltered from the weather; the mountains that rise above the other side of the dale seem to keep them from getting the same amount of rainfall that we get. Their soil is stonier as well, yielding fewer crops despite their care in managing the tillage. As a result, they have fewer animals to hunt and less grain to reap. The winter was hard on us, though we managed. I fear it took more of a toll on them." That said, he urged his mount into a walk once more, beginning the descent.  
  
She followed along after him, catching up once more to ride at his side. The trail continued along, weaving its way between the trunks of the trees rooted into the relatively steep slope, continuing at times to run along the side of the ridge and then switching back on itself at a slightly lower elevation. Despite its somewhat tricky nature, the path seemed to be one well traveled.  
  
However, Utena found herself staring at the Red Tyger time and time again despite her need to pay attention to the trail they followed. She had to admit that the more she saw of him, the more she liked, and he had stepped back to give her room to breathe. She'd seen enough to have her interest piqued; now she felt like she needed to find out more about what sort of man he truly was. The champion she sought had to have a soul worthy of wielding Love's Honor, a soul she could truly respect. "My lord, may I ask you a question or two?"  
  
"Of course, my lady. Ask away," Touga answered, glancing over at her. He'd noted her continual looks at him, recognized them for what they were, an awakening realization of an interest in him as a person. Knowing that it would be far better for her to develop an affection on her own, he did what he could to patiently prove himself to her.  
  
"I'd like to know what you think about some situations," the rose-maned maiden began, aquamarine gaze scanning along the track they were following. "Say that once upon a time you did something not so honorable, something that you now regret, and a good friend of yours knows about it. And then say that this friend of yours gets angry with you over something, insulting you in front of everyone at court by bringing up this lapse in your honor. Your friend realizes that his own action was wrong but all he'll do is offer only a token private apology because, after all, he only spoke the truth. Would you accept what recompense he offers, or would you demand more from him?"  
  
His eyes focused on the way ahead, the redheaded lord frowned thoughtfully as he analyzed the question. "Well, my immediate reaction is to say that I would accept whatever my friend offered and leave it at that."  
  
"What about the slight to your honor? After all, everyone would know about what you did?"  
  
"True, but then again, it was something I regretted, therefore I knew it was wrong and would wish that I could undo it somehow. Anyone of a charitable nature would forgive me that, seeing that I was remorseful. Only those not honorable would hold a mistake like that against me," Touga replied. "We are all human; none of us are infallable."  
  
"And you don't think your friend owes you more for making a mistake as well?" Utena softly asked.  
  
"As I said, we all make mistakes. What kind of friend would I be were I to not forgive someone with whom I had that sort of bond?"  
  
"I see," the pink-haired girl replied, taking a moment to once again look over at the noble figure sitting astride the black charger. Inwardly, she was quite pleased to hear his answer; he seemed to put forgiveness before personal pride. "Well, then . . . What about this situation, my lord? Pretend for once that you are a vassal and not a prince."  
  
Glancing over at her in sudden curiosity, Touga raised his eyebrows. (I do believe she's testing me in some fashion,) he silently remarked. Wondering what she would propose next, he encouraged her to go on. "Very well, Lady Utena. So I have a lord over me now."  
  
"Aye," she responded, nodding. "And say that some dastard has killed members of your lord's family. Your lord has taken into custody the one he utterly believes is responsible, however, you know beyond all doubt that the man in question is innocent. Furthermore, there's no hard evidence of the man's innocence, only your testimony. Your impassioned lord, blind to the virtue of your word because of his emotion, is crying for vengeance and demanding you to slay the man. What would you do?"  
  
"Well, I certainly would not kill a man innocent of the crime, no matter how loud my lord called out for his blood. Justice should come above all else, for it is a virtue beyond any loyalty to a fallible, human lord. Should my lord go for the man himself, I would intervene, since it's quite obvious his grief is getting the better of him. All he truly would need would be enough time to calm down and approach the situation in a rational manner. Once he was calm, I could then tell him again how I know the man to be innocent."  
  
"You would have sworn an oath of fealty to him, and part of that oath is to obey one's lord," Utena pointed out.  
  
"The oath of fealty also includes support and advice unto one's lord. I can think of no better advice or support than to keep my lord from making a fool of himself by murdering an innocent man. Any killing not sanctioned by justice is a murder; my lord is better off not becoming such a man. And no ruler worth his coronet should allow himself to be so blindly ruled by his passions," Touga replied.  
  
"So it's your belief that justice comes before loyalty?" the masculinely-attired girl asked, her aquamarine gaze settling yet again on the man astride the ebony charger.  
  
"Justice is something toward which all good men should strive, and any good ruler must have that virtue among others. To be otherwise is a disservice to those men to whom he's pledged protection and sustenance."  
  
"What of the common folk and the peasantry?" Do they deserve to be treated with the same justice we nobles receive?"   
  
"Aye. They are men and women as well. Without them, the lord would be nothing; it's in his best interests to treat them accordingly: in their proper station, but with justice," the scarlet-haired chieftain answered, his black stallion continuing to make its way along the path through the evergreens.  
  
"I am most impressed, my lord," Utena finally admitted, an expression of slight wonder on her beautiful face. "There are many who would say that the meanest villein would not deserve the same right to equal justice."  
  
"I'm not a man that condones taking any other man's property -- or womenfolk -- by force, be they the highest of nobles or the lowest of peasants," the Kiryuu prince said, shaking his head slightly, long hair glimmering in the sunlight. "In my observations, we all bleed red, we all are hurt by much the same things, and we all are mortals who eventually die."  
  
The pink-clad maiden smiled, pleased yet again at his response. (He sounds so sincere. I do believe he truly means every word he's uttered,) she thought, a warm sense of happiness filling her. Others had piqued her interest before, but nearly all had answered the questions posed to them in some way or another that had left her feeling as if they had lacked some essential quality. Those that had passed her interrogation usually failed at some task she set for them as proof of their true worthiness. Men both of high estate and low had seemed at first glance to be possibly the one in the few years she had actively sought a wielder for Love's Honor, only to be found wanting, unworthy.  
  
(But this one . . . He could be the one, I feel.)  
  
The ground around them began to level out, the trail straightening, no longer switching back on itself. Behind her, over the creak and jingle of the leather and metal tack, the muted sounds of the woodland creatures, and the soft thudding of the horses' hooves against the packed dirt of the pathway, Utena could hear the murmurs of conversation. Though she couldn't make out the actual words, the impression she got was that Tatsuya and Wakaba were talking amongst themselves, Shiori occasionally throwing in her own opinion on whatever it was they were discussing, and Ryu remaining as stoically silent as usual. Just knowing that her servants were engaging in such an expected and normal action made her feel quite at ease as she rode along at the side of the dashingly handsome chieftain through unfamiliar territory.  
  
"It won't be much longer," Touga announced, glancing to his left to give his fair companion a smile. We should be coming to the edge of the fields cultivated by the villagers that live around the fortress itself in a short while."  
  
"That's good to hear," Utena acknowledged, nodding slightly. "So what is Pinehaven like?"  
  
"It's a keep surrounded by a wooden palisade, the whole on a small island in the center of the River Whitewater that flows along the floor of the glen. A gatehouse with a moveable bridge allows access from the bailey within the palisade to the mainland. The village that makes up the rest of the clanhold has its buildings strung out alongside the river, with a few of the villeins' cots located along the opposite bank. Surrounding that on both sides of the Whitewater are the fields the people tend and pastures for the clan's herds. For what they have, it serves well and is quite defensible."  
  
It sounded very much like many other strongholds that existed within both the highlands and lowlands. Smiling, the rose-haired maiden thought the place seemed charming indeed from the description given it by the Kiryuu chieftain. "I look forward to seeing it, my lord," she began, then added, "I have one more scenario upon which I should like to question you . . ."  
  
"Ask away, my dear lady. I continue to be eager and willing to show you proof of my worth," Touga replied, flashing her a charming grin. She was turning out to be an intelligent maiden, a trait that he admired along with her beauty and spirit. The more time he spent in her company, the more certain he became that she would be the perfect one to have as his princess. Her earlier words that she would marry none other than the champion of love she discovered kept him determined to win that title for himself.  
  
"A priest of your faith and a man have come before you and you are to judge the man. According to the priest, the defendant is a heathen who utterly desecrated a site sacred to your faith, destroying the sanctity of the place, and the cleric demands that you do what is right and kill the defiler. The man, however, when asked to present his side of the story, tells you that his actions came about in a blinding rage, brought on by his brother's death. You further determine that the man's brother died because the cleric refused to offer any aid at all to siblings who were not of the same faith since they worship gods the priest believes are evil. How would you decide the case?"  
  
"It's obvious that the man is guilty of the defilement," the scarlet-maned nobleman began. "However, I personally don't think that a punishment as harsh as death should be given to one who acted in outrage at the death of a brother."  
  
"Even if the now-ruined site is one you yourself worshipped within but now cannot for the hand of the Divine is no longer there?"  
  
"It would be of little consequence, Lady Utena, for such a situation would only be temporary. The power of the Divine is absolute; there is nothing in this world that a single man can do to a sacred site that would keep it from being resanctified should the Divine wish it to be," Touga replied. "The Divine is greater than the hand of any man. No, the man is guilty of a crime and would be punished -- I would levy a fine in goods against his property and then have him spend time in prison to think over the rashness of his actions -- but I would not execute a man for such a deed."  
  
"So you would choose mercy over piety?" Utena questioned.  
  
"I would choose mercy because it is warranted in this case. The man acted out of passion, his grief getting the better of him. However, I would not say that the choice was between that and piety."  
  
"Why's that?" she asked, intrigued by his denial of the term.  
  
"Because piety is the devotion and reverence of the Divine, no matter how you believe it manifests, and doing as the clerics always say isn't necessarily demonstrative of pious behavior," the highland lord answered.  
  
"But if the clerics are the tools of the manifestation of the Divine, you need be obedient to them to be pious," the maiden said, her aquamarine gaze focused steadily upon her companion.  
  
"Not true. Remember, they are humans just as we are and they are not infallible no matter what they may claim. And they are not the only tools through which the Divine works," he countered. "The clergy are to see to only the spiritual protection and sustenance of the people; it is the role of us in the noble estate to see to the physical protection and sustenance of those same people, and in doing so, we too are tools of the Divine. Who's to say that perhaps the Divine chose to take away the blessing of sanctity to that place by using the man's distraught grief as the instrument of that choice? Neither you nor I can guess what the Divine Will may truly have in mind, and despite all their claims, the clergy are just as blind. No, I can be very pious indeed even as I spare that poor wretch's life from the howls of the priest to have his blood."  
  
Utena fell silent then, thinking over his words. It hadn't occurred to her that maybe the angered man in her scenario was just a tool to carry out the will of the Divine. That he had thought of it impressed her. Lord Touga of the Kiryuu Clan was quite the man she was quickly discovering.  
  
They emerged from the edge of the woods, the path now crossing over what was obviously tilled soil. Off in the near distance, the thatched roofs of the clansmembers could be seen just above the horizon, the silhouette of a tower of some sort somewhat behind them. It still being the very start of spring, Utena wasn't surprised to see the arable fields with their earth still unbroken by the plow; she knew from her own experiences that the villagers would be using these first couple of weeks to check over their plowing equipment and repairing it before putting it to use in earnest.  
  
Soon -- very soon -- they would be riding through the gatehouse into the keep at Pinehaven. The rose-haired maiden smiled at that, curious now to see just how Touga would interact with his foster brother. She had a feeling that it would reveal even more about his character to see this meeting between Saionji and the son of the lord that had taken him hostage. "'Twill be nice to cross over the bridge and enter the fortress," she said.  
  
"Indeed." 


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
  
With the hollow sounds of hooves against the wooden bridge over the narrow river, the small party crossed over from the dirt streets of the village and into the island keep of the clan chieftain. The fortress was just as Touga described it, only older and more rustic appearing than Utena had expected. Though the keep was built of stone and seemed to be a solid square of granite masonry, the wall that surrounded the shoreline of the island was a fence of giant logs nailed and lashed together, their upward-pointing ends sharpened into formidable points to discourage anyone from clambering over the man-made barrier. Even the gatehouse toward which they rode was wooden, manned by a number of fierce-looking warriors from its heights.  
  
"I really must convince Saionji or his father to rebuild the gatehouse and palisade in stone," the scarlet-haired lord murmured, glancing about. "As it stands, it's a vulnerability in the strength of the fortress," he added, explaining for his gentle companion's benefit.  
  
Utena merely nodded, understanding his point. Wood was softer than stone and could burn. Therefore, it was a relatively cheap building material but protection potential was exchanged for the lower price. That the gatehouse was still a carpenter-built construct could be the biggest concern; the first thing she would recommend herself was to rebuild that in masonry to better fortify it.  
  
However, it wasn't the state of the stronghold that had caught her attention. No, that was reserved for the people living within the village and those who were milling about within the bailey of the keep. Sweeping her gaze back over to the thatched-roofed cots near the banks of the rapids-filled river, she frowned thoughtfully.  
  
They had come out of their cottages and had stopped in the streets, their eyes all focused on the group of others riding in their midst. They looked thin, their clothes somewhat ragged and well patched, their expressions mixtures of what Utena could only believe were envy, resentment and fear. To her eye trained in assessing the state of a demesne, she recognized the signs of scarce good food and lingering illness in those that she did see, taking note that most of the people who were there, staring in utter silence, were those in their young to middle years. Of the youngest and oldest, there were no signs.  
  
It was obvious they needed more than what they were gathering for themselves. She felt uneasy being among them, knowing that she was healthy and well fed while they were not, that she had ample and warm clothing while they made due with threadbare garb that had been mended numerous times. The housing too was as careworn as the people, the thatch and wood structures in need of obvious repair. In riding through the gatehouse, she could see that the keep itself -- the last line of defense for these folk -- was equally in need of the attention of both a carpenter and mason.  
  
The stares from the warriors guarding the entrance into the stronghold were every bit as desperate and hostile as those of the more common folk out there in the surrounding village. It was obvious in the way they stiffly bowed and gave way before the dashing redheaded chieftain astride the ebony stallion that they not only knew exactly who he was, there was still some lingering bad blood for the son of the lord that had essentially conquered them. When the six riders emerged from the narrow passageway through the entry, the crystalline note of a horn sounded in the stillness; it was apparently a signal to announce the arrival of their overlord.  
  
The bailey was nearly as shabby as the rest, the buildings housing the stables, mews, blacksmith and kennels showing an equal amount of wear and tear. The grass that covered those areas of the ground not a part of the well-worn dirt pathways was scrubby and thin, not like the thicker and lusher greenery that had been present in the bailey of Kiryuu Keep. Turning her attention momentarily to look at the proud and noble Lord Touga, Utena noticed that he only urged his charger about four steps into the courtyard before tugging on the reins and murmuring a halt to the great beast. Drawing up next to him, the rose-haired maiden urged her buff-colored palfrey to halt as well, then glanced behind to make sure that her handmaidens and men at arms stopped. Seeing that all was well so far, her aquamarine gaze focused again on her companion.  
  
Sensing her eyes on him, Touga shifted in his saddle slightly and gave her a bit of a smile. "Here we shall wait for someone to greet us and invite us in," he explained.  
  
"I see," she responded, still uneasy about being comfortable when so many around them had obviously not fared well at all. A thoughtful expression on her face, she stared down at the somewhat barren ground, noting the many stones of various sizes that were embedded in the dirt. Words came to her in the stillness, a soft feminine voice from the time she had made the journey two years past to the place where she found Love's Honor being guarded. ("Six tasks shall you set to prove the worth of the one to bear this blade, one for each virtue of Love . . .") Gasping slightly, Utena raised her head, knowing suddenly one of the half-dozen requests she would make. "Lord Touga?"  
  
The scarlet-maned chieftain's ears perked up, catching an unusual undertone to the boyish-attired maiden's voice. Eyebrows rising in curiosity, he twisted in the saddle again to once more stare straight at her. "Aye, Lady Utena?"  
  
"I . . . wish to set one of the tasks you must perform," she informed him.  
  
('Tis an interesting place and time for such. I wonder what she has in mind?) he thought, gaze steady upon her. "And that task would be?"  
  
"Give away an entire year's income to these destitute folk."  
  
(An entire year?) Touga blinked, the request not exactly an expected one. Even so, he was already turning the logistics of fulfilling it over in his mind, doing his best to recall just how much he had still within his coffers. Though most trade and the collection of taxes in the highlands was based in kind -- goods and services traded away to meet financial obligations -- some money was used as well. The Saionji certainly looked to need the help, and as their overlord, he was the one ultimately responsible for their well-being. (If I take half the coin I have and then plan to send to them half the harvest throughout the year, that should satisfy both obligations . . .)  
  
Seeing only what seemed to be dumbfounded silence, Utena did her best to ignore the increasingly crestfallen feeling that threatened to overcome her. Would this handsome champion-to-be fail this, perhaps one of the simplest tasks she could assign for the virtue of Generosity? "Well? What say you?" she insisted, carefully schooling her visage into a neutral expression.  
  
Her unwittingly sharp tone brought Touga's attention back from his musings. "Excuse my silence, my lady. I was best planning out how to comply with your request. Aye, I accept your challenge and please consider it done, dear lady. When my men arrive with the meat I sent them to hunt, I shall send one back to the keep with a message for my lady sister."  
  
"And how do you plan on fulfilling it?" Utena asked, interested in his apparent solution.  
  
"I have enough coin in my coffers to fetch half a year's income and hand it over to the Saionji's chieftain. The remainder of what you've requested will be spread throughout the coming year; I shall give away half my harvests in both grain and herds as I reap them."  
  
"'Tis easy enough to say you shall -- " the pink-haired girl replied.  
  
"Trust me, Lady Utena. Watch and you shall see," Touga said, interrupting her. Pointing toward the doorway in the square stone tower of the keep, he added, "I do believe we shall be greeted now by my foster-brother."  
  
From their perspective, the doorway was set on the right-hand side of the tower, a flight of stairs along the outside of the sturdy granite structure making its way up from the ground, around the corner and stopping at the threshold of the single entry into the keep one story above the earth below. More than likely, the storerooms of the stronghold were there on that windowless first floor, and the Great Hall would take up the majority of the space on the second floor. Counting off the levels of shuttered windows, Utena guessed that the tower was only three stories high, just as Kiryuu Keep had been. From what she'd been able to observe, the clans of the highlands tended to live simply and prudently. She had yet to see a manor that was as ostentatious as some of those of the great lowland barons.  
  
The figure that descended the stairs seemed, from the short distance anyway, to be a fit young man in the prime of his life about the same age as the Kiryuu chieftain. Dressed somberly in somewhat plain garb of dark green and black -- shoes of leather dyed green, black hose covering his legs, a black shirt underneath a green tunic, both of which were modestly decorated with silver embroidery -- the young man's tall form was crowned by a waist-length mane of curly, deep green hair.  
  
"Kyouichi Saionji," Touga explained, his words meant for the maiden sitting atop her palfrey at his side.  
  
Utena looked him over as he approached them, mentally assessing the one Touga considered a brother. The Saionji heir was a handsome man, though the ruggedness of his visage would forever keep him from the elegant beauty Touga possessed -- even if the harshness of the current times weren't there on Saionji's face. At the moment, his expression was a thunderous scowl, his violet eyes narrowed in suspicion and irritation. Stopping a slight distance away, he took up what appeared to the pink-maned maiden a defensive stance, arms crossing over his green-clad chest.  
  
"Well now, isn't this a surprise?" the verdant-maned noble asked, his low voice holding a tone that matched his stance. "My dear Lord Touga, to what should I ascribe the pleasure of seeing your face this early in the spring?"  
  
"Why to the fact that I've been overly long in paying my respects to both my foster brother and his ailing father," Touga replied. "As well as the fact that winter is over once more and the spring planting should begin soon. That alone is worth celebrating, and to that effect, I have my men bringing a gift to you both as a tribute to my foster brother and as thanks for the Divine for seeing us through the harsh weather."  
  
Saionji stared at the other lord for a moment before flicking his violet gaze to the men at arms, handmaidens and seemingly slender lad accompanying the scarlet-haired chieftain. "You must feel quite comfortable traversing my lands with only strangers as an escort."  
  
Touga softly laughed. "They are new acquaintances of mine. Lord Kyouichi, may I present to you Lady Utena Tenjou, her servants Wakaba and Shiori, and her men at arms Tatsuya and Ryu? Ladies, gentlemen, the heir of Clan Saionji."  
  
As the quintet of people lowered their heads in respectful greeting at the introductions, Saionji merely scowled a bit more. "Tenjou, hmm? Isn't that a lowland -- "  
  
"Aye, but it matters not. The lady's come as my guest," the Kiryuu prince replied, cutting off his friend's words.  
  
"As you wish, my lord," he responded, a gentle breeze passing through the sparsely vegetated bailey lightly ruffling his curly green hair. "However, I refuse to believe that you've come only in goodwill now that spring has arrived. What are you really up to, Lord Touga?"  
  
The chieftain nodded slightly, acknowledging his foster brother's guess. "I do have a couple of matters to discuss with you, now that I've made the trip here."  
  
"I should have known," Saionji muttered. "Very well. I extend to you the hospitality of my father's hearth. Do you accept?"  
  
"Gladly," Touga answered, gracefully swinging down from the saddle to alight onto the ground. Now that he was here, observing for himself the condition of Pinehaven, he found himself even more worried than before. Saionji himself was thinner than Touga remembered, the cheekbones more prominent than before. Though it was commendable that the green-haired noble was sharing in the suffering of his clan -- not being selfish, not seeing to his own needs before those of his followers -- it was bothersome see his friend so reduced. Should trouble come to the clan, Saionji and his men may not be up to the task simply because one cannot be at his best if he is ill fed.  
  
As Touga strode over to where the pink-attired lady sat upon the back of her palfrey, Saionji faced towards the stables and shouted. "Grooms! Attend at once to my guests' mounts!" That loudly uttered command caused a flurry of activity as a number of lanky boys -- all around the age Utena would expect for squires -- appeared from seemingly nowhere to descend upon the little party. Suddenly aware of the scarlet-haired lord's nearby presence, Utena turned her aquamarine gaze to him in time to see him silently offer to help her down from her perch. Giving him a bit of a smile, she placed her hand in his upraised one and leaned forward, feeling his strength easily as he wrapped an arm around her waist and swept her down as if she weighed nothing at all. Behind her, the pair of men at arms dismounted and helped down the two handmaidens, Tatsuya carefully lowering Wakaba to the ground and Ryu giving Shiori a helping hand.  
  
"Come along," Saionji said, gesturing to the half-dozen other people to follow behind him. Turning, he began to retrace his steps back to the stairway that led into the stone keep.  
  
"He seems a bit on the brusque side," the rose-haired maiden commented to her tall companion.  
  
"He believes in getting to the point," Touga responded, a smile on his face. Lifting his head slightly, he called out, "Saionji, a moment!"  
  
Pausing in mid-stride, the other man turned his head to look at his foster brother over his shoulder. "What is it, my lord?"  
  
"When my men come, be sure to have them escorted to the kitchen. My gift to you needs to be taken there."  
  
The verdant-maned noble stiffened slightly, but gave a nod in response. "I'll tell the castellan once I step inside." That said, Saionji once more continued on his way.  
  
In silence, the small group of nobles and servants ascended the stone stairs and entered the tower. Immediately behind the ironbound oaken door was a vestibule that was devoid of almost any furniture; all Utena could see was a couple of rather uncomfortable-looking chairs off to one side. When he had entered, Saionji must have barked some order -- she had heard his low, harsh voice while she had been climbing the steps -- for someone was swiftly disappearing from the chamber as she stepped inside.  
  
The heir of the estate led them on through the archway into what appeared to be a waiting room much like the one Utena had seen in Touga's home. More chairs were arranged into sitting areas while locked chests and cupboards sat against the stone walls. There were a few tapestries there, though they showed signs of being old -- the edges were somewhat frayed and the colors faded.  
  
A number of people milled around, most seemingly too in awe of being within the keep to take advantage of the somewhat worn chairs sitting about. As the group made their way across the room, the folk quickly scattered and bowed, not straightening up until after they had walked past. Glancing about, the rose-haired maiden realized just who all these individuals were: the citizens of the demesne, come to bring their disputes and grievances to their lord's court. Flicking her aquamarine gaze back to their host, she noted that he looked neither to the left nor right at those awaiting to come before him, though he did nod slightly at the greetings from the household garrison. Throwing open the sturdy door leading to the Great Hall, Saionji strode inside. "Shut the door once my guests have entered. The docket can wait," the green-haired noble barked.  
  
"Aye, m'lord," responded a raven-haired warrior standing to one side of the door.  
  
"Perhaps you should hear the cases before you speak with me?" Touga suggested.  
  
"I'd rather know precisely what you're up to, Lord Touga," Saionji sharply responded.  
  
"Very well," the scarlet-maned nobleman replied. "It's just as well that you were preparing to sit in court. We'll have need of your clerk."  
  
The verdant-maned highlander came to an abrupt halt, whirling around to face his foster brother there in the center of the rush-covered floor. The large chamber certainly had been readied for the upcoming judicial session; the heavy wooden trestle tables remained propped against the sparsely decorated walls while the matching benches were aligned in rows to either side of the middle of the room. Saionji had been leading them down the center aisle when he had come to a halt at the other nobleman's words. "What the devil do you need my clerk for?"  
  
"Why, I have a contract that needs to be drawn," Touga answered, his voice a smooth purr. "I made a promise and I wish to have it in writing."  
  
"And just what is this promise?" Saionji insisted.  
  
"I am to give away a full year's income to you and your clan. As part of the pledge, I plan to send to you half of everything I harvest. And to show proof of my sincerity, I desire to have that part of the pledge written and signed by us as a legal agreement."  
  
"Do you think I can't take care of my own?" the heir of the estate growled, violet eyes narrowing.  
  
"Of course not," Touga quickly said, his voice in what was meant to be a soothing tone. "I'm sure you are doing the best you can. This has nothing to do with proving your worth and everything to do with proving mine."  
  
"So now we're just tools for your own advancement?" Saionji said, his expression thunderous.  
  
"Saionji, please . . ." the Kiryuu prince responded, offering his friend a smile. "That's not it at all."  
  
"So what *is* 'it' then?" the green-haired man snapped back, still glaring at the other nobleman. How dare he come striding in here looking so happy and fit when the Saionji clan had barely survived?  
  
"I'm genuinely concerned -- "  
  
"You're only concerned about losing your hold on my lands and my people," the other highlander snarled, being deliberately rude and turning away, stalking once more towards the high table. "You only want us even more in your debt!"  
  
As the pair of noblemen crossed over the Great Hall's floor, Utena turned to her followers, her pretty face showing her unease at the developing argument. Other than the noblemen, the cavernous chamber was currently empty save for the clerk mentioned by the keep's lord, a pious-looking man with short-cropped, chocolate-brown hair wearing the simple brown robes of a monk. It seemed slightly eerie scanning over a room so large and so empty. However, the pink-haired girl was put at ease knowing that it was only devoid of activity solely because court had yet to start, though she was still on edge from the tense undercurrent. "Find something with which to amuse yourselves along the edges of the hall. I have a feeling that the two gentlemen would like their conversation to be between only themselves," she started to explain, staring right at her four servants. Catching the unhappy looks on Tatsuya and Ryu's faces, Utena quickly added, "Fear not for me. I'm certain that I'm in fine company, and I'll only be up at the high table with them. You'll be able to watch over me the entire time." Hearing her men's at arms murmurs of reluctant acknowledgement, the rose-haired maiden hurried after the other two nobles.  
  
Though inwardly disappointed at his foster brother's cold reception, Touga kept his features schooled in an expression of pleasant camaraderie. He kept silent until he joined the verdant-maned noble up on the dais, easily taking the three small steps in graceful stride and then standing there, awaiting his friend's invitation to take a seat. His cobalt-blue gaze remaining focused on the other man as Saionji paused behind the ornate chair of the lord of the manor and rested a hand against the back of the carved wood of the seat, Touga said, "Come now, my brother -- "  
  
"Don't you 'my brother' *me*!" the green-haired clansman snapped, angry violet gaze turning to stare at the chieftain. "How dare you come here as if you were the king of the world, showing off your plenty and contentedness just after I've finished burying a full fifth of my clan? There you are, fit and happy, while we continue to suffer and you see us only as a charity case to further your ambitions? I see no brother here, only a lord come to rub our noses in the fact that we are a subjugated people."  
  
Standing a slight distance away, Utena faintly gasped and put a hand over her mouth, azure eyes wide, at the angry words. So many folk dead just over the winter? She couldn't help but feel sorry for them and their plight.  
  
(A fifth?) Touga thought, stunned by the numbers. He had heard that an illness had swept through them during the coldest part of the season but had hoped that they were rumors. They'd been too snowbound to send anyone there to see. Bowing his head in a silent prayer to the souls of those claimed by the harshness of winter, the scarlet-maned chieftain remained standing there. "Saionji," he began, tone soft, his face curtained by the loose locks of his long, scarlet-red hair, "the years have forced a distance between us -- through no fault of our own -- that wasn't there before. For the sake of the fraternal love you once bore me, please just give me this one chance. I swear to you I have come here as a brother, not as a lord overseeing an underling." Lifting his head, a faintly beseeching expression on his handsome face, Touga stared expectantly at his friend.  
  
Violet eyes narrowed, glaring back. Pride and affection warred within Saionji's heart, longtime envy and admiration both making themselves known. He hated seeing the despair to which his people had been reduced, yet he knew that what the Kiryuu chieftain offered would ease his clan's suffering. "I'll give you this chance and accept your help only for the good of my folk," Saionji finally growled. "There's been enough illness and death."  
  
"May the lady and I take a seat?" Touga queried, gesturing toward where the rose-haired maiden stood watching in the background.  
  
"Who am I to stop you?" the other man asked, his piercing gaze flicking over to stare at the strangely attired girl. Had the chieftain not introduced her, Saionji would have thought he was looking at an overly pretty boy. "Who is she anyway to be hovering about the conversation of 'dear brothers'?" he added, his voice taking on a sneering tone.  
  
"Merely an observer to test my worth," the redheaded highlander responded.  
  
"Your tastes have certainly changed to the more masculine if one such as she is allowed to judge your worth -- "  
  
"I beg your pardon!" Utena burst out, feeling somewhat insulted by the verdant-maned noble's words. "That'll be quite enough of that, Lord Kyouichi."  
  
"Loud too," Saionji said, continuing on as if the masculinely clothed woman hadn't spoken at all.  
  
"Tread carefully, my friend, least we both discover she can handle that sword she carries in an efficient manner," Touga gently warned.  
  
"I'm not afraid of some slip of a little boyish-looking girl," the violet-eyed lord replied.  
  
Utena's aquamarine eyes narrowed in annoyance; recalling both the unwritten laws of hospitality and the very virtues she searched for within her champion, she took a deep breath and willed herself to calm down. It wasn't worth the conflict, especially against a man too battered by the world to even have a hope of being the noble soul she sought. Her cheeks warm and red-hued with anger, she bit back her words and dragged one of the heavy chairs away from the bolted table.  
  
"I assure you, Saionji, she's not what she appears to be." Turning his gaze to Utena as the noblewoman perched herself on the sturdy seat, Touga gave her a reassuring smile. "If you'll kindly excuse me, my lady, I wish to turn my attention to the matters about which I desired to speak with Saionji."  
  
The rose-maned maiden nodded, a silent gesture for him to proceed. Sitting back in the chair, she watched as he pulled out another and gracefully sat, Saionji lowering himself down into the lord's siege at the same time.  
  
"Does she *have* to be here?" the green-haired highlander grumbled, still doing his best to appear to not acknowledge her presence in any manner but his words.  
  
"Aye, she does. Just think of her as a clerk of sorts, just as you have your man over there."  
  
"I suppose . . ." Irritation glimmered in Saionji's purple-hued eyes as he leaned against the padded back of the ornately carved chair. "So what exactly do you *want*, Touga?"  
  
"How's your father doing? I had heard that he wasn't faring well at all."  
  
The other lord looked away, off into the distance, his expression unreadable beneath his dark green bangs. "The Saionji have a new chieftain now."  
  
Touga nodded gently, a look of sympathy in his cobalt-blue eyes. "My condolences -- "  
  
"Don't bother. I never really knew him, and what I knew of him, he was an angry and broken man. So you're only wasting your breath," Saionji responded, his tone cool.  
  
"How long ago?"  
  
"Three days ago. We buried him the day before yesterday and I heard the oaths of fealty from my retainers yesterday."  
  
"Well, perhaps you'll be more inclined to listen to the proposal I desire to make to you, Saionji, than I fear your father may have been," Touga said, leaning back and draping a leg over his knee. "It's come to my attention that the time has come to arrange a suitable circumstance for my sister Nanami."  
  
The verdant-maned chieftain stiffened, then turned his head to stare at his friend. "You're offering me marriage to your sister?"  
  
"Aye. I spoke to Nanami about it being time and she was less than pleased with the prospect altogether," the scarlet-haired noble responded.  
  
"She *would* be. I recall how she'd trail after us like some forlorn puppy, always wanting to be there for you," Saionji snorted in mild derision. "The girl absolutely hated anything taking your attention away from her."  
  
"Save *you*," Touga softly said. "In all those years, she never once tried to get between us or pull one of her childish pranks on you."  
  
"She probably knew I'd throttle her if she tried."  
  
"More likely . . . I think she may like you, Saionji, only she's been too focused on trying to not grow up and always be my sister that she doesn't see it. I did get a concession out of her that she'd feel happier being wed to someone she knew."  
  
The newly-ascended chieftain growled, shaking his head slightly. It just seemed too easy, too convenient. An alliance with one of the most powerful clans in the highlands, one that had conquered the Saionji after a bitter feud, all because a spoiled child whom he had considered like a sister would rather wed someone she knew if she had to marry at all? (He must be getting something more from offering this than merely that,) Saionji thought, scowling. (But what? Maybe . . . Maybe he seeks to force us into a permanent position of subordination through the ties of blood? If that's the case, I won't stand for it. I will see to it that my people are once again wielders of the power we deserve.) "Nanami likes no one but you."  
  
"Everyone that's attempted to get close to me, she's tried to harm -- save you. You've never once had overspiced or spoiled food in your meals, sleeping draughts in your drinks, your room 'accidentally' left open to the cold with no fire or brazier to heat it or being forgotten when it came time to clean it . . . In all those years you and I were as close as brothers, my sister tagging along, never once did she use her position as chatelaine as a way to strike out at you as she did all the others who tried to get friendlier with me than she thought was proper," the scarlet-haired lord responded.  
  
Utena blinked, startled at the litany of annoying pranks carried out by what sounded to be one very obsessed young lady. Thinking back on yestereve's celebration, the boyishly-clad maiden paled slightly as she realized why the blond mistress of the keep kept giving her vicious stares. Apparently whatever discussion it was after the siblings had danced -- more than likely the talk of weddings and alliances, given the current conversation -- it had kept Lady Nanami in a foul mood. At the time, Utena had dismissed the glares as a manifestation of the anger sparked by the conversation with Lord Touga. Now she knew better; the young blond had seen her as a rival for her brother's affections.  
  
"I won't tolerate being chained to a subordinate position," Saionji insisted, his tone harsh. "An alliance such as you propose would only make us a lesser line of your clan. Never again would we be your equals."  
  
"That's not exactly true if you stop and think about it," Touga replied. "Your sons would be royalty of both the Kiryuu and the Saionji, whereas my sons would only be Kiryuu princes. Should my line ever be considered unfit by the warriors of the clan, it could easily be one of your sons that is chieftain over both, but my sons could never have a claim to the Saionji coronet. And you will always be entitled to aid from the Kiryuu, since you would be family."  
  
"Ha. By your own oath of fealty as overlord, you are bound to give us protection and sustenance," countered the green-haired nobleman. "Duty alone would force you to aid us."  
  
"Not all are as honorable as you know me to be," pointed out Touga, his cobalt-blue eyes focused on his friend. "And there's nothing to say that a future Kiryuu prince would find it too inconvenient to aid you when you need it. But family . . . You know as well as I that blood is thicker than water and family helps one another. And family is a relationship of equality, not subordination."  
  
Saionji scowled, mulling on the other chieftain's words. So far, he could not see the fatal flaw that he knew just had to be lurking there, the one thing that must be what Touga was hoping to achieve. He knew his friend was every bit as ambitious as he was honorable; surely there was something Saionji was missing, something he couldn't quite see. After a long, tense pause, he questioned, "So what *do* you get out of this? You offer us all the aid we could need, equal standing and blood ties to bind us to you, a clan that your father *conquered*. So what's in it for *you*?"  
  
"It's simple, actually. I get my sister wed to a man I know and trust, whom I'm sure will watch over her properly, not abuse her and be strong enough to deal with her willfulness and tendency to use her control over a household to make things miserable for those she dislikes. You know her nearly as well as I; you're familiar with what it takes to keep her happy."  
  
"She's not happy unless she's with you," Saionji reiterated.  
  
"She'll get over it," Touga replied. "And I'm sure you're up to the task of helping her do so. So what say you?"  
  
A scowl settled over the verdant-maned chieftain's visage. (It's tempting, aye, but damnation! I still feel as if there's something unsaid I'm missing, some string attached I can't find. And I hate the thought of being personally beholden to him, of losing to him.) The scowl grew darker as he turned a cool violet gaze back to his childhood friend. "I'll think about it. I already have negotiations going on for a different alliance."  
  
"Oh?" The word was a soft purr of curiosity, Touga raising his eyebrows in surprise. "With whom?"  
  
"*That*, dear Touga, is none of your business," Saionji shot back.  
  
"Very well," the scarlet-haired nobleman responded, raising his hands in a peacemaking gesture. "However, please give my offer some serious thought. I truly believe you couldn't make a better alliance with anyone else in the highlands."  
  
(And that is what bothers me,) the violet-eyed prince silently thought.   
________________  
  
The tam-like hat of soft rose-pink cloth remained perched jauntily on her head, her lush mane of wavy hair carefully hidden beneath. As she sat there at Lord Touga's left behind the high table, Utena's thoughts wandered somewhat from the proceedings within Pinehaven's Great Hall.  
  
The pair of chieftains had called over the robed clerk once their talk of the proposed marriage was concluded. With the scribe in attendance, Lords Touga and Kyouichi had haggled on the details of the contract and then had set their wax seals on the resulting document the moment they had agreed. While the once-molten material was cooling into a hardened blob imprinted with the impressions of both signet rings, a page had come to inform the noblemen of the arrival of the Kiryuu warriors. The scarlet-haired chieftain had then sent the young, towheaded boy off with a message for one of his men to attend him there ate the high table.  
  
As Saionji had called for his warriors to usher in the folk there to have their cases heard in the manorial court, the Kiryuu prince had held a whispered conversation with the strong-looking young clansman that had come at his lord's summons. While the small crowd had made their way into the large chamber and had seated themselves on the wooden benches, the brunette warrior had walked swiftly away, more than likely to carry out Touga's plan to fetch the coin that was part of the proof of his generosity. Utena knew that once she saw the precious metal in the green-haired chieftain's hand, she would judge Touga as having passed the first test of his virtue; the coin along with the legally binding contract -- as well as his impromptu decision to bring meat to his foster-brother's people -- would be more than enough proof as far as the noblewoman was concerned that the Kiryuu prince possessed the virtue of generosity in sufficient quantity.  
  
The disputes that had come before the newly-elevated lord were all those typical of such courts. Quarrels over the ownership of property and livestock, the use of community resources, unpaid debts, assaults, thefts -- civil and criminal arguments alike were settled here. As chieftain, Saionji's decision would be the final word on all save those that were felonious in nature. Those would be referred to Lord Touga's own court in the near future; as overlord, he was the one that held the right to judge cases involving High Justice.  
  
As the parade of people on the docket were called forth and aired their grievances, Utena had glanced over at her would-be champion a number of times. Looking as regal and gorgeous as ever, he almost lounged in the ornately-carved chair as he silently observed his foster-brother's court. That he seemed so casual puzzled her at first -- she would have thought him to be more actively involved with the hearing of the disputes, since he could be called in to appeal by someone with that right -- until she realized that he was there not as the overlord of the demesne but rather as the childhood friend of the lord sitting in judgement. She couldn't help but be somewhat impressed by his ability to act with such honor; having promised Saionji he was only there as a foster-brother, he was holding himself true to that pledge. A smile graced her beautiful face as she looked at him once more with a faint expression of admiration.  
  
Admiration, however, was not what she felt toward those who came before Saionji. Though most of the cases were rather petty things -- the green-haired ruler making a swift judgement, the clerk recording the proceedings and the warriors acting as bailiffs escorting the parties out -- Utena found herself once again shaking her head at the quarrels people got into over the littlest of things. To Saionji's credit, he swiftly made it clear that bribery wouldn't work on him, but the rose-haired maiden found his sense of mercy somewhat lacking. The rulings she had heard the new chieftain pronounce had revealed what seemed to her to be a belief that the laws and customs of the domain were carved in stone. If someone was guilty, then they were handed the proscribed punishment, regardless of any possibly mitigating circumstances. Such inflexibility truly bothered her.  
  
For perhaps the hundredth time, eyes the color of cobalt-blue shifted to take in the lovely sight of the somewhat disguised maiden. As the cases were heard -- a myriad of all the disputes one could have with one's family and neighbors, and though they were often petty little things in the grand scheme of the world, Touga understood them to be important to those who stood on the rush-covered floor before them -- he'd noticed his companion's increasingly troubled expression. Though curious as to the cause, he kept his questions to himself; in his opinion, it was one of two things: either Utena was bothered to hear of this argument and that or she wasn't pleased with the way the cases were being handled. Intertwining his fingers, he raised his hands up to rest the knuckles of his middle digits against his expressive lips, his face pensive as he returned his gaze to the floor. The Saionji bailiffs had just escorted out the latest two parties and a new case was about to start.  
  
"Akira, retainer of Clan Saionji, come forth!" the green-haired lord shouted. Throughout the proceedings, the young chieftain had been acting as his own herald, his deep and gruff voice carrying well in the confines of the Great Hall.  
  
The person in question was a frightened-looking, grizzled man of middle years, his humble face one of a man not having lead an easy life. Silvery strands were sprinkled throughout his thinning, light brown hair. The trews and tunic he wore were threadbare and shabby. Of all the defendants come there that afternoon, he was the only one in shackles. During the general chaos of assembling everyone for court, Utena had noticed this one come in from another door, his form flanked by a brace of stern Saionji warriors. At the call of the prisoner's name, the clansmen guarding him stood, hauling him up to his feet at the same time.  
  
The masculinely-attired girl frowned at the clanking of the heavy iron links. That the seemingly beleaguered man was in chains signaled that this case, unlike the others, involved a felony. Glancing over at her silent companion seated to her right, Utena was once again struck by Touga's apparently disinterested air.  
  
"The charge is the poaching of a head of the royal cattle. What evidence is there that such a crime took place?" Saionji called out.  
  
"If you please, Your Lordship," began one of the formidable-appearing warriors flanking the hapless-seeming prisoner. Though the auburn-haired clansman showed the effects of the harsh times on his countenance, he looked otherwise fit and strong. "I am Kenji, forester in charge of the holdings of the clan. While I was engaged upon my rounds within the woods around the village of Northolt, I came upon a most damning sight. This man -- " Kenji paused for a moment, pointing at the trembling prisoner, then continued, "was standing over the fallen form of a cow, a great branch from one of the trees in his hand, the opposite end from where he held it bloodied and speckled with gore. Even as I watched, he brought his rude club down upon the beast's head with a violent assault before flinging the wood away. He then drew a dagger from his belt and knelt down by the beast, beginning to skin it. I rushed from where I was hiding and tackled him, knowing that Your Lordship's herd of cattle was pastured in that season very near to that place. A look upon the carcass confirmed by suspicions; the dead animal bore the very markings of a cow that had gone missing earlier that day."  
  
While the forester told his story of the discovery of the crime and the apprehension of the perpetrator, Utena leaned over slightly toward her scarlet-haired companion. If Saionji remained true to what she had observed so far, then the miserable-looking man there before them would be judged guilty and given whatever penalty law and custom demanded for that particular crime. "So tell me, my lord . . . What will his punishment be should he be found guilty?" she softly asked the redheaded nobleman.  
  
"The customary sentence is death," Touga responded, his voice in a low tone that carried only to her. "Saionji can't actually kill him -- he holds no rights to the High Justice at the moment -- but he can send the man to me for execution of the sentence."  
  
"Defendant! What say you on this matter?" Saionji barked, his violet gaze transfixing the man in question.  
  
"Please, great lord, you must understand. Surely you have some place in your heart for pity," the chained retainer stammered, still trembling in fear.  
  
"Just tell me your side of the tale," the verdant-maned nobleman replied in a growl, reaching up to brush aside his long, curly bangs from before his eyes.  
  
"I am one of the cowherds that watches over both the royal herd pastured there at the village of Northolt as well as the herd of the villagers themselves," the grizzled peasant continued in response to his lord's command. "In moving the herds from one pasturage to another, something spooked the herd and they stampeded, scattering into the woods. With a number of the villagers keeping watch over the head of cattle we brought back right away, we cowherds went into the forest to gather up the stragglers. At the final count, we were down only a handful. A number of us went into the woods again and split up, and it was my misfortune to find one of the cows in distress. I know not what happened to it; I only know that when I found it, it was hobbling around on three legs -- the fourth one was broken, the ends of the bones shoved through the skin -- and bellowing in pain. The sound was terrible, and I couldn't let the poor beast continue suffering like that, so I found a sturdy piece of wood I could use for a club and I bashed the creature's brains out. The winter had been tough, my entire family starving, and I thought it would be a waste to leave the meat there on the bones . . . Great lord, surely you cannot fault my intent! The beast was in agony; the meat could have been put to good use . . ."  
  
Hearing the shackled retainer's words, Utena turned her aquamarine gaze to stare up at the man next to her. Finding his countenance as seemingly disinterested as before, she leaned toward him again. "Would you truly kill this man just because Lord Kyouichi asks you to do so?" the rose-haired maiden whispered in consternation.  
  
"'Tis Saionji's place to judge guilt and pronounce the punishment," Touga softly answered. "As overlord, it's my place to support those under me in such matters. So long as nothing untoward happened in the proceedings themselves, I am bound to execute whatever sentence is handed down. One can only appeal to me if they think Saionji did something wrong in his holding court; I cannot adjudicate on the evidence itself."  
  
"Hrmph." The green-haired lord made only that single sound of mild disgust at the quivering peasant's impassioned pleas. As the man stood there in terror, his face pale, Saionji leaned back against the ornate siege. "The law is the law, Akira. You killed that cow knowing full well that it was one of my herd."  
  
"Please, great lord! The beast was sorely wounded! Nothing would have been gained to keep it alive!" the cowherd replied.  
  
"Must the punishment be death?" Utena murmured to the redheaded chieftain. "I truly think the circumstances do not warrant such harshness."  
  
"He could impose a lesser sentence," Touga answered.  
  
"Well, there's no question that poaching was done and that you are the one that committed it," Saionji stated, violet eyes staring straight at the peasant. "The law is very clear on the crime. Do you know what penalty is imposed upon poachers?"  
  
The cowherd paled more -- Utena found it surprising that the hapless man could do so, he had been so white from fear before -- and flung himself down to the ground, prostrating himself and groveling on the rush-covered floor. "Great lord, have mercy! What of my family? We barely made it through winter, and they need my labor to survive!"  
  
"The champion of Love should uphold mercy as well as he demonstrates generosity," the masculinely-clad girl said, her tone becoming adamant. (I cannot let this happen. I will find a way for mercy to temper justice in this case!) Once again staring up at him, she commanded, "For your second task, I ask that you successfully plead leniency for this poor soul."  
  
Scarlet eyebrows raised in surprise at the maiden's insistent order. Looking down at her, Touga could see the determination glowing there in her large, aquamarine eyes -- eyes that he would much rather have gazing up at him in affectionate adoration. It took not even a moment for the Kiryuu prince to decide. Slipping off his golden signet ring, the symbol of all he was as the overlord of the Saionji, he gently took one of his companion's hands, placed the heavy ornament into it and then gently made her fingers curl around the warm metal. "Hold that for me, my lady. I shall endeavor to do my best." Feeling the weight of the signet no more, the scarlet-maned chieftain gracefully stood. "Your Lordship," he called out, looking over at his friend while he walked along the length of the high table.  
  
"What the devil are you doing?" Saionji snarled, startled by the other nobleman's actions.  
  
"The lady asked me to plead the case of mercy to you," Touga replied, stepping around the end and descending to the Great Hall's floor. "However, I also promised you that I had come only as your brother and friend. Therefore, it's as your foster brother, someone who wishes to see you successful in your rulership, that I stand before you now."  
  
"So you now dance to the tune of a maiden?" the verdant-maned highlander asked, his voice a sneer. "How unusual to let such a one pull *your* strings."  
  
If his friend's barb scored a hit, Touga made no outward sign of an effect. Folding his arms over his chest, he looked the other lord over for a long moment. "There is no doubt, my lord, that by the law a crime has taken place. That's not in dispute. However, throughout all your cases today, you have punished according to the letter of the law. Justice is served, but I fear you are making a mistake."  
  
"The law is the law," Saionji reiterated. "And if a crime's found to have happened, then justice is served by handing down the appropriate punishment. You know as well as I that swift enforcement keeps a demesne from dissolving into chaos."  
  
"But a good ruler will temper that justice with mercy. Aye, you are fulfilling your obligations as you are, but you could do better by taking into consideration mitigating circumstances, my friend. The cow was severely injured. You *know* that it could not be salvaged at that point. Your cowherd did the animal a favor by ending its misery. He had no way of knowing that your forester was in the area."  
  
"I let the man go unpunished and everyone will feel free to slaughter my cattle," the other chieftain shot back, violet eyes narrowing in irritation.  
  
"I'm not saying to not punish the man," Touga smoothly responded. "But show your people mercy; show them that you care about their lives and what's happening to them." He stepped closer toward the dais, halting there just on the other side of the high table.   
  
Her breath catching in her throat, the slender noblewoman leaned forward ever so slightly, awaiting the Kiryuu prince's next words. Others before him had faltered here, falling into the trap of manipulating the pride of the lord in question in order to win leniency for the subject she had chosen. To choose to do so proved no virtue at all but rather a flaw, a willingness to be unmerciful when it came to the emotions of another.  
  
"Your clansmen deserve mercy when it's appropriate, as well as the justice that keeps order in your lands. The animal foundered; it needed to be put down. No merciful man would have let the cow continue to suffer." Turning his attention to the forester, he asked, "What became of the beast once Akira was taken into custody?"  
  
"It was butchered at my direction, my lord," Kenji responded, bowing slightly in a token of respect to his ruler's overlord. "The meat was then shared amongst the villagers, since it would be too much effort to bring it back to Pinehaven."  
  
"So one act of mercy became many equally merciful acts, since everyone suffered through the winter. By happenstance, one man's compassion more than likely made it possible for all the villagers to make it into spring and be well enough for the planting of the harvest," Touga continued. "Like a stone tossed into still waters, the ripples sent out eventually touch the farthest shore. Leniency should be shown to this man, since not only did he do the humane thing, he probably served you better, Saionji, by helping maintain a village full of workers ready to conduct the spring planting."  
  
Silence hung there in the cavernous space of the hall. The green-haired nobleman glared back at his friend. So wrapped up was Saionji in asserting his authority, taking over from a harsh and bitter predecessor, that he had become something of a reflection of his sire. Though he hated having such a truth shoved in his face by the one man he considered always two steps ahead of him, he couldn't deny that his foster brother was right. The cow was a loss no matter what, and the meat was better used instead of left to rot on the carcass's bones. Turning his attention to the still groveling peasant, Saionji shouted, "Get up!"  
  
The cowherd hastened to do so despite the heavy chains, the brace of muscular warriors reaching down to yank the cowering man back to his feet.  
  
"Kenji? When you inspected the downed beast, did you see the broken leg that the defendant mentioned?" the newly elevated chieftain asked of his officer.  
  
"Aye, Your Lordship," the auburn-haired clansman responded, nodding in affirmation. "As he said, the bones were clear through the skin."  
  
"Well then," Saionji softly mused, once again fixing the prisoner with his cold violet gaze. "As has been pointed out, I find that you did not willingly slaughter a fit and healthy animal. For that, your life shall be spared. However, in lieu of the animal you killed, I fine you the worth of that beast, which you shall pay by either giving to the royal herds your best milking cow or by working it off in pulling double duty in the royal fields until enough time has passed equal to the worth of a cow." Turning his attention to the men standing on either side of the peasant, he nodded to them. "Release the man. The chains are no longer needed."  
  
Up in her seat behind the high table, Utena smiled at the joyous expression on the cowherd's careworn face. His look alone was worth it a thousand times over, though she would do it again simply because it was the right thing. A life was spared, deservedly so, and her possible champion had argued eloquently for the cause of mercy. Gazing happily upon the redheaded highlander's dashing and noble countenance, the rose-clad maiden continued smiling in admiration.  
  
Feeling her gaze upon him yet again, Touga smiled to himself as he glanced at her. He knew, without uttering a single word, that he had passed the test she had given him, that he had taken one more step closer to proving himself worthy of not only being this champion she sought but of her as well.  
  
Noting the oddly-clothed lady and the scarlet-haired lord exchanging glances, Saionji could only scowl. (What is it about *her*, of all people? Never before has he seemed so intent on a single maiden before. Just what the hell's going on, I wonder?) 


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six  
  
"I'm utterly curious, Saionji. With whom exactly are you wishing to form an alliance?" Touga asked his friend.  
  
Evening had fallen; the servants had arranged the Great Hall for the meal shared by all in the fortress. As the various members of Clan Saionji began to gather among the tables below the salt -- an expensive commodity, salt was sparingly passed out; only those at the high table had containers of the white seasoning, while those in the lower seats had to make do without -- the green-haired chieftain and his overlord had remained there behind the table bolted to the three-stepped dais. Once court had been adjourned, Saionji had ordered one of his chambermaids to show Touga's unusually-attired companion and her people to a guestroom they could use. He had then grudgingly offered his foster brother the seat of honor to his right for the upcoming supper. The violet-eyed Saionji prince had then fallen into a brooding silence while the elegant redhead had moved to the offered chair.  
  
"I'm not interested in telling you that, 'old friend'," Saionji growled in annoyance. (Why can't he leave it be? Hasn't he shown me up enough already? Always, I've been in his shadow; always a step behind. Surely an alliance of marriage to his sister would only keep me in the shade of his glory.)  
  
The Kiryuu chieftain merely nodded, slipping into a melancholy quiet. It was obvious that his actions so far had personally wounded Saionji even as they had helped others around him. (Surely there must be some way to repair our friendship and show him that there's no need for jealousy.) Becoming lost in his thoughts, Touga found his gaze wandering over to stare at the place from where he knew his gentle guest would emerge upon her return.  
  
Though it more than likely wasn't long at all before the expected angelic vision appeared, it seemed to be an eternity for the waiting, scarlet-haired lord. Although he'd had his attention captured before by many a pretty, feminine face, there was just something about this one that dazzled and fascinated. The moment Lady Utena stepped through the doorway, her small entourage in tow, it was as if the Great Hall lit up from her very presence, like a gloomy, overcast sky that suddenly broke to let through a golden ray of the sun. Unaware of his own action, Touga gave voice to a soft gasp of appreciation.  
  
Once again with the coming of evening, she had undergone an almost mystic transformation. Her long, rose-pink hair fell loose in a cascade of silken curls. A white chemise, the hems decorated with pale blue and silver embroidery above the snowy white lace borders, peeked out from underneath a deep blue surcoat laced up the sides with braided cord of metallic silver, a fancy border of silver stitching in a floral pattern adorning hem and bodice. Though her servants were as elegantly attired, Utena easily outshone them all.  
  
Eyes narrowed in his continuing irritation, his violet gaze focused upon the servants preparing the low tables for the upcoming meal as well as those of his people entering the large room to partake of said fare, the faint sound his friend made caught Saionji's attention. Glancing over at Touga, the verdant-maned chieftain was mildly surprised to see the other's handsome face frozen in an expression of awed delight. Raising his emerald eyebrows in wonder, the newly elevated chieftain turned his head to follow Touga's cobalt-blue gaze, searching to discover what it was that had grabbed his foster brother's focus so completely.  
  
The moment he saw her, he immediately knew exactly why Touga had warned him that the lady was not as she appeared to be. From pretty "boy", she had become the epitome of womanly charms, and a part of Saionji thought perhaps that his childhood friend had fallen victim to some fey. But another part of him made him sit upright in mild startlement; the girl seemed oddly familiar. "Well," the green-haired lord commented in a low murmur, "I truly see the wisdom of your words, Lord Touga."  
  
"Isn't she beautiful?" the scarlet-haired lord responded, his voice equally low.  
  
"Aye, she is that," Saionji grudgingly agreed, trying to shake off the feeling that he'd seen her somewhere before.  
  
"That, my friend, is the woman I'm determined to marry."  
  
(What?) The curly-maned chieftain blinked in surprise, violet eyes turning from the approach of the noblewoman to look askance at his foster brother. (He must be truly smitten. But what about . . .?)  
  
Saionji glanced back at the lady in time to see her halt and apparently direct her handmaidens and men at arms to find a place among those sitting at the tables below the salt. As her quartet of servants took their leave, the rose-haired girl turned slightly and lifted her gaze to the high table.  
  
Large aquamarine eyes, a shyly hesitant smile, silky curls of a shining pink hue . . . (That girl!) Saionji mentally gasped, violet eyes widening in realization, the echoed voices of a remembered conversation playing out in the back of his mind.  
  
(I'm going to marry that girl some day, Saionji.)  
  
(Are you mad, Touga? You'll marry whomever your father wants for the best of the clan. Besides, you have no idea who she is. She may not have anything worthy of such an alliance.)  
  
(I don't care. Something terrible happened to her -- you can see it in her eyes -- and I swore I'd protect her from anything else. I can't do that if she belongs to someone else.)  
  
"You're still mad, Touga, even if she's turned out to be of noble blood," the newly elevated lord muttered, his attention shifting back to his foster brother.  
  
The redheaded chieftain chuckled softly. "So you recognize her as well now," he said, his azure gaze finally focusing on the other highland lord as the subject of their discussion walked up the steps of the dais and made her way along the back side of the bolted-down table. "I'm a man of my word, Saionji. I said that I would keep her safe, and I shall -- if she allows it."  
  
"I suppose it's all for the better that she's noble and beautiful both," the green-haired chieftain grumbled. (What damnable good luck. Always. It would be fairer had she grown up to be an ugly and noisome woman instead,) Saionji mentally groused, feeling yet another pang of envy. For just once he'd love to see the whims of Fortune toss something *unlucky* at his friend.  
  
"Well, it does help immensely," Touga reluctantly admitted. Rising gracefully from his seat at the noblewoman's approach, the scarlet-haired highlander hastily came to the maiden's aid, pulling back the heavy wooden seat to his right.  
  
The tension between the pair of chieftains was almost palpable to the pink-haired girl. Though she smiled and murmured her thanks to the dashing noble that had come to her assistance, Utena's mind remained focused on the men's apparently broken friendship. Saionji's jealousy of his foster brother and Touga's resulting melancholy was obvious to anyone truly observing them. (Surely there must be some way to a reconciliation. They're supposed to be the best of friends . . .) That second thought made her pause. (Though I know that to be true, how is it that I *know* that in the first place?)  
  
The gruff voice of the fortress's lord broke in on Utena's bemused thoughts. "Welcome, my lady, to the hospitality of my table," Saionji said. "Such as it may be," he added in a harsh mutter.  
  
(He wishes he could offer more, and is embarrassed at what he can offer,) the rose-haired maiden mused, suddenly aware of the motivation behind the highlander's acidic tone. She gave him a warm smile in response. "Thank you very much for your generosity, Lord Kyouichi. I'm delighted to accept," she honestly answered, certain that the young noble was doing the best he could. Her smile only faltered slightly when the only reply she received was a noncommittal grunt.  
  
The conversation -- such as it was -- only became worse. While the servants poured the wine and began bringing out the first dish of the evening -- vegetable and leek soup, the broth made richer by adding butter and cream -- Touga did his best to politely inquire as to the current state of the neighboring clan. Utena inwardly frowned as it became apparent that the Saionji prince was becoming increasingly defensive, his answers only vague ones and his attitude less than forthright. To her possible champion's credit, he never pressed on his friend to get a straight answer, though he would certainly be well within his rights as overlord to do so. More interested in watching the pair of them instead of attempting to make conversation, Utena silently consumed her meal.  
  
"I must say that you've done remarkably well for yourself so far," Touga said, trying once again to engage the other chieftain in a discussion of the state of things. He was certain he could somehow cheer his friend up by pointing out the things that had gone right, if only he were allowed the chance.  
  
Aquamarine eyes scanned over the crowd of clansmembers seated around the low tables. Though a far cry from the boisterous atmosphere of celebration of the night before at Kiryuu Keep, the Saionji were a somewhat gregarious and rowdy bunch. However, Utena couldn't help but notice the number of hostile stares towards the high table from the highlanders below the salt. Sipping at his wine, the rose-haired maiden was somehow certain that the glances were as much fastened upon Lord Kyouichi as they were upon Lord Touga and herself.  
  
The Saionji weren't the only ones looking up at the array of nobles seated there on the dais next to the massive hearth. To Utena's mild surprise -- and apparently Tatsuya's dismay, judging from the sour expression upon the visage of the youthful man at arms -- she noted that one of her handmaidens kept trying to surreptitiously stare at the green-haired chieftain. (Ah, Wakaba . . . You would do far better to dream of another . . .)  
  
"Must you insist upon these inane queries?" Saionji growled in response to the scarlet-maned noble's words. "I swear you've come only to rub my nose in the fact that you are perfect."  
  
Touga frowned, getting somewhat irritated at his friend's obstinate insistence that the visit was something calculated to tear the other chieftain further down.  
  
"Actually, my lord, I'm certain that Lord Touga isn't as perfect as you seem to think. After all, by his own statement there are no infallible people," Utena said, finally entering into the conversation.  
  
"What would you know of it?" Saionji snapped, his focus shifting to the rose-haired beauty.  
  
"She's right, Saionji," the scarlet-haired lord added. "You grew up with me. You knew I wasn't perfect then, and I've not miraculously become perfect in the past couple of years."  
  
"I grew up in your *shadow*," the verdant-maned chieftain snarled. "Disliked by the majority of the Kiryuu for what I was born, I'm barely tolerated by my own clan for what I've become. They see me as an outsider, not as their leader's son and heir, because I was raised by their enemy."  
  
"Once they get to know you, they'll come to like you. Give them time," Touga said in reply.  
  
"Time may not heal everything," Saionji coldly remarked.  
  
Movement caught Utena's eye, drawing her attention there. The servants had come into the Great Hall and had begun clearing away the remains of the first remove in order to make room for the next. Traditionally, now would be the time for any entertainment to begin, though the young maiden couldn't see anyone about who were obviously musicians, actors, jongleurs or any other sort of entertainer. As she sat there contemplating the words of the pair of nobles at her side and watched the household crew roam about the massive chamber, she was suddenly struck with an idea. Leaning over toward the handsome redhead to her left, she softly murmured, "Lord Touga, I have something to ask you."  
  
Her soft statement caught him unawares, especially considering how relatively quiet she had been throughout the meal so far. "Aye?" he responded, keeping his voice low.  
  
"A champion of Love must be as honest as he is generous and merciful. 'Tis one thing to state that you are flawed, and an entirely different thing to prove so to others." Well aware of having his undivided attention, Utena felt herself blushing slightly under the force of his cobalt-blue gaze. However, she persevered in her query. "The clansmen here see you as only their overlord. Your friend sees you only as a rival. Surely there must be some tale you can tell of your own experiences that shows you as the flawed human you must be -- a story that also shows to his clan just how good of a man Lord Kyouichi truly is."  
  
On Touga's other side, Saionji took a deep drink from his goblet of wine, violet eyes narrowing in suspicion at the low conversation between his foster brother and the rose-haired girl. (What could they be plotting?) he silently wondered.  
  
"There's a number of memories that do just that, aye," Touga admitted, drawling out the words in uncertainty, though his curiosity was more than just mildly piqued.  
  
"Then there's two things I request of you," Utena said. "The first is your word that you will forever deal honestly with your foster brother -- "  
  
The scarlet-haired chieftain stiffened, his azure gaze hardening in anger. "Are you accusing me of being *dishonest* towards him?"  
  
"No, but I see the tension between you, and your growing desperation to win him back. Manipulation and flattery should never be considered, even as a last resort. Love, in any form, cannot flourish without honesty between those involved," the elegantly-clad maiden hastily replied.  
  
(How the devil -- ?) Apparently the girl he had once saved had grown up to be quite the perceptive lady, seeing something within him that he himself had only just realized has been the turn of his thoughts. His astonished expression changed to a frown. "And the other request?"  
  
"Remind your friend just how human you are, and teach the Saionji something about their prince. Tell everyone here, between courses, such a tale as I asked you to recall," Utena replied.  
  
"Spin a tale? Of my own ineptness? *Here*?" Touga asked, his characteristically smooth voice taking on a note of dismay.  
  
"Can you honestly say that you are never inept?"  
  
"No, of course not -- "  
  
"Then entertain us with such a story," the pink-maned noblewoman simply said. She fell silent then, waiting to see which impulse would win: his desire to pursue the tests of her champion or his pride.  
  
The redheaded noble scowled, the situation one not to his liking at all. Reaching out and taking a sip of the passably graded red wine, Touga remained in a faintly brooding quiet. In order to please his pretty rose, he had to sacrifice some of his pride. Was she truly worth it?  
  
"So what exactly are you discussing over there?" queried a gruff voice.  
  
Aware of the green-haired chieftain's gaze upon Touga and herself, Utena leaned forward and gave Saionji a bright smile. "We're discussing the possible entertainment to be had during supper."  
  
(An odd thing to be talking about.) The curly-maned lord raised his eyebrows in an expression of curiosity. "Well, there are some musicians to play while we eat the main course," he admitted.  
  
"She has . . . something more specific in mind," Touga said. Sighing heavily, his decision made, the scarlet-haired chieftain flicked his cobalt-blue gaze back to his friend. "Do you have anything scheduled now?"  
  
"No . . ." Saionji answered, brows furrowing in puzzlement.  
  
The mouth-watering scent of herb-roasted pork began to fill the crowded room as the kitchen staff began to appear with large wooden platters piled high with the cooked meat of the main course. That the boar was one of the animals brought to them by the Kiryuu men really didn't matter to anyone there; the scent alone was heavenly, and most of those there were far more interested in consuming the first really decent meal they'd had in a rather long time. As per the usual custom, the servants approached the high table first, bowing to the nobles there, the food raised high in presentation as the lead servant announced what the remove was to be. While Touga awaited the presentation and the serving of the high table to finish before continuing, he took another sip of the wine in his glass as Saionji nodded his approval of the dish and the platter was set before them.  
  
Utena drew in a deep breath, smiling at the tangy scent of lemon grass, rosemary and mint with which the pork had been cooked. That her possible champion's generosity had made this possible made her smile brightly, her heart becoming more set on hoping that this dashing lord would be the one she sought.  
  
Mindful of the lovely maiden's insistence on taking care of herself, Touga only served himself up after Saionji had taken what he wanted. Spearing a slab of the roasted pork with the tip of his eating dagger, the Kiryuu prince asked, "Once the meat has been passed out, would you mind if I entertained everyone with a story, Saionji?"  
  
"You? Tell a story?" the green-haired lord replied, giving his foster brother an incredulous look. The expression remained as Saionji raised his eyebrows, even more curious. "Don't tell me. That slip of a maiden told you to do so?"  
  
Touga merely nodded in agreement with his friend's guess. "What say you?"  
  
"Well, this ought to be interesting. Go right ahead and do so, if you feel so compelled." In an odd way, the Saionji chieftain was rather enjoying seeing the proud Touga apparently so smitten that he'd do just about anything asked by the rose-haired girl.  
  
The scarlet-maned chieftain nodded again, turning his attention to eating what he could of this course while the servants walked briskly among the lower tables, serving the rest of the pork to everyone else there. The conversations had been progressively getting louder and more jovial as the evening had worn on; the wine was beginning to be felt and people were getting more comfortable, their attentions focused more and more upon their food than the trio of nobles seated at the high table.  
  
The pork was as good as it smelled. Obviously the Saionji were blessed with a cook who knew what he was doing, Utena decided. Chewing on a mouthful of the delicious meat, she watched thoughtfully as the servants set down the last of the platters and made their way back to the kitchen. Once there, she knew, they would hastily eat their own portions of the meal while preparing the next course to come. When the last serving girl had departed, the young noblewoman turned her aquamarine gaze to the man sitting to her left. Having heard the conversation between the two chieftains, she knew that now would be the moment of truth.  
  
Wood scraped against wood as the tall lord rose from his seat. Taking a final drink from his silver goblet, Touga composed his thoughts, eyes hooded beneath long lashes. Slipping between the chairs, the scarlet-haired prince walked behind the length of the table to the edge of the dais and took the three steps down to the floor of the Great Hall. By that simple action alone, he caught the attention of the majority of the men there. Conversations died down; one by one, the clansmembers of the Saionji turned their gazes to their overlord -- their former enemy. Cobalt-blue eyes stared back at them, noting their suspicion and slight hostility. The feud had started early in his father's time and had ended relatively late during his father's reign -- a short one by highland standards. There was still a reasonable chance of forging a true peace with them, of making an alliance where they would stand together as brothers and forget all about once being foes. Confidently striding to a spot before the center of the high table, Touga addressed those sitting below the salt as a group. "Men and women of Clan Saionji, I have come before you with a story to tell, a tale that I hope you find both amusing and entertaining. This is not a story of long-ago heroes fighting the forces of evil or Faerie, nor is it the tale of the great battles between clans. No, this is a tale of two youths, the best of friends, and one of their many adventures together."  
  
Turning slightly, Touga gestured towards the newly-elevated chieftain. "I see in your eyes that you are unsure of the man that leads you. You don't know him as well as you wish because of circumstances you could not control. Let me assure you, on my word as a prince of the royal blood, that never once has your chieftain done anything to embarrass the Saionji name. In all honesty, he has proudly born your name as a mark of honor in his time among us. When he first came to live at my father's house, my clansmen thought to taunt him by calling him simply 'Saionji'. Knowing the worth of that name, he embraced it; ever since he was a boy, he has preferred to be called 'Saionji'. I tell you this now so that you know I mean him no disrespect when I call him such." Giving his friend a smile -- Touga was somewhat amused at the expression of curiosity on his foster brother's face -- the redheaded noble swept his gaze back over his audience. "In fact, I have the highest respect for your lord. Never have I had a truer friend; I consider him the brother I never had. He is practical, careful, wise, honorable, and loyal. Despite his sometimes abrupt manner, he will always try to do his best. In fact, I probably owe my life to him."  
  
That garnered looks of interest among those sitting there feasting upon the roast pork, listening to his words. Behind his back, Utena raised her eyebrows; she hadn't expected that particular confession. A glance to the listening Saionji gave her little clues at all to the nature of the story to come; the other noble's expression was unreadable save for one of mild astonishment. As for Touga's words so far, they seemed to be honest statements, given to explain to the Saionji what sort of man their former chieftain's son was and not given simply to flatter a hurting friend.  
  
"As all of you are aware, 'tis the sport of a chieftain's son to learn how to one day be a great warrior," Touga said, continuing on, beginning to slowly pace the rush-covered floor in the space between dais and low tables. "A good prince is one that leads his men both in words and actions, and is willing to share the risks and dangers of personally carrying out the defense of hearth and clan. As a pair of chieftains' sons who had seen thirteen winters, Saionji and I were ones who took our learning the ways of a true warrior seriously. We watched the older men as they practiced, we trained with my father's best trainers, and we practiced with one another and the other squires nearly every day." A number of heads nodded in response to his words while the scarlet-maned lord took a breath; they would have expected nothing less from good heirs. "And we eagerly listened to any tales that better pointed out how a worthy chieftain would act," Touga continued on, "for we both understood that by listening to such things, we would learn more about what made a good lord and how not to be a bad lord.  
  
"To my father's keep one night came a traveling minstrel. Hospitality was offered to him and accepted, and he graced our meal that night with tales of warriors' bravery and daring knights. I recall listening in rapture as he wove his stories; his imagery was so vivid that I could almost see the happenings he recited, and I wondered then if he didn't have a touch of the Fey in his crafting. But of the tales that he spun, there was one I remembered the most: that of a younger son, his brothers already knighted, traveling to the court of the great king. No one recognized him there, and he was sent to be a servant in the kitchens. The tale went on to describe how he undertook a dangerous adventure that none of the other, more experienced knights would assay to accomplish, and how he won out in the end, being one of the best knights ever. But the part with which I was thoroughly entranced was the description of the youth's knighting ceremony, especially the finishing flourish called 'the leap'."  
  
Next to the rose-haired maiden, Saionji straightened up and stared at his friend, violet eyes going wide in astonishment. "By all that's holy, he's going to tell everyone *this*?" he murmured in a tone of utter wonder. Utena glanced at him, unsure if his reaction was due to the tale being embarrassing to him -- and she hoped that wasn't the case, considering the task she had set for her proposed champion -- or if it was because he knew it would be embarrassing for Touga for the redheaded prince to tell it. The verdant-haired chieftain took a drink of his wine. "This ought to be very good . . ."  
  
Touga stopped for a moment, breaking from his slow strides to sweep his hand out in a gesture that included all those sitting there eating and watching him. "Now all of you know that any ceremony that marks a youth as coming into his right as a full-grown warrior is a serious thing. Even for the lowlanders, that is the case. The minstrel's story described what the lowlanders do, with their clanking metal armor and great horses bred to carry all that weight. Each new knight is given a chance to prove how heroic and capable he is at the end of it all; he is told to don all that armor, gird his sword, take up his shield, and then run at his charger and leap up into the saddle so encumbered." The mental image from that alone gained the young chieftain a soft chuckle from those listening to him. "Needless to say, there are many who prove themselves to be only ordinary men, for they cannot vault gracefully from ground to horseback wearing all their gear. Of course, the knight in the story, being an extraordinary noble, was able to do so. And I, having heard of our own tales up here of highlander heroes doing much the same thing at the start of a battle, decided that I wished to be one of those extraordinary men. So I went to bed that night with my mind full of thoughts on how to practice this so that when the great day came, I could show up all those clunking and clanking lowlander knights as the true highland prince that I am."  
  
He began his slow pacing again, ruefully shaking his head as part of his act of storytelling. Some caught where the tale may be going and chuckled, others just ate and drank more while they actively listened. "Ah, how I longed to be through with my assigned tasks in the morning. The moment I was free to do as I wished, I grabbed Saionji and lead him to the stables, telling him about my plans. We had our practice swords with us, as always, and it was our routine to leave the clanhold and spar one another out in a clearing in the woods. Though he was dubious about the additional practice I desired to add to our activities that day, he agreed to accompany me and give it a try. So off we rode to our usual sparring place.  
  
"Though Saionji rode his ever trusty rouncy, a sturdy pony named Thunder, I had lost my own old pony Lightning to age and illness. Tempest and I were still getting used to one another, and my new mount at times had a will of his own. Like myself, he was young for his kind, and though we grew to have that relationship all warriors desire to have with their well-trained horses, at that time, the headstrong pony thought he was the one in charge. Once there in our spot, Saionji and I dismounted and looked the horses over. And in doing so, we discovered an oversight in the tales about 'the leap' that we'd heard." The scarlet-maned nobleman paused, cobalt-blue gaze looking over his audience, then gave them all a grin. "Never once did the stories tell us from what direction the knight approached his courser. Was it from the side, or was it from the rear?" Another soft ripple of laughter as those hearing his words imagined the two youngsters trying to figure it out.  
  
"Well," Touga continued on, taking a moment to glance over at his friend sitting there up at the high table and smiling a bit more as he spotted the amused grin on the other chieftain's face, "Saionji argued for an over the rear approach while I discussed the merits of from the side. As we talked among ourselves and debated the merits and problems with each method, we circled around our waiting ponies and kept looking them over. Of course, Thunder and Tempest didn't mind that at all, for they were content to occupy themselves by grazing upon the grass in the clearing. To be honest, Saionji seemed to have the way of it once we talked over how an armed and armored man could vault upon the back of a charger. However, I was too curious about the method I had defended to just leave it be. Though agreeing with my foster brother that he probably had the right of it, I just had to give it one try from the side. This being my plan, I hastily strode over a good pace away from where Tempest grazed, then whirled and came running at him. Fleet of foot, I covered the ground, the wind of my passing rippling my hair. Once I was close enough, I planted my feet and sprung upwards, determined to jump high enough to lay my hands on Tempest's withers and help push myself with the momentum of swinging my leg over his back. Up I flew, and then I felt warm horseflesh beneath my hands. 'Huzzah!' I thought to myself, sure of my triumph, sure that I was better than any lowlander that insisted upon being dressed up in a great tin pot -- "  
  
The redheaded noble paused again, this time for dramatic effect. A quick scan showed that he had most everyone's attention, many of them leaning forward, awaiting his next words. Another rueful shake of his head earned him laughter as many recognized the clue he gave them by his gesture. "Alas and alack, Tempest decided that he wouldn't cooperate in his master's fun. Apparently not appreciating my rather unconventional behavior, the rouncy shied away, taking a couple of steps to the side. Instead of my leg clearing over his back, my foot slammed into his ribs; my hands were abruptly held flat on thin air and not on my mount's shoulders. My victorious leap up onto my horse swiftly became my unexpected dive into the green grass. I landed flat on my belly, my breath knocked from me in a violent exhale. And there I was, proud Kiryuu prince suddenly prostrate before all, kissing the ground."  
  
Laughter filled the hall at the mental image of the boy he had once been so positioned. To the Saionji, hearing of such an embarrassing moment to a former enemy was quite amusing indeed. Utena couldn't help but join in the laughter with her soft giggling, for the thought of such a proud man lying low in such a manner was truly somehow mirthful.  
  
"To Saionji's credit, he didn't stand there laughing at my misfortune -- "  
  
"I feared you were hurt, my friend," the other chieftain called out, a smile lingering on his face. His shout garnered him another glance from the elegantly-dressed maiden sitting a couple of seats to the right; Utena swiftly discovered that Saionji was much more handsome when he wasn't scowling at the world. "And I also feared that once I started laughing, I wouldn't stop and I'd therefore have been useless to you had you managed to wound yourself."  
  
"True, true," Touga responded, chuckling slightly. "He rushed over to my side and helped me up, and we took a moment to assure ourselves that I remained in one piece. He also took the time to point out to me yet again the flaws in using that approach: the horse could see the movement of the rider and shy away, it was to awkward to consistently get one's leg over the horse's back, especially weighted down by a number of pounds of metal and it was just plain dumb. I didn't disagree with him at all, my dive to the ground rather proving his point. As for Tempest, well -- the ungrateful beast had gone back to his grazing as if nothing had happened at all. While I brushed myself off, Saionji decided to put his own theory to the test.  
  
"He called out to his rouncy a command to stay, then retreated a number of steps away. Taking measure of the distance, Saionji stood there a moment before beginning his furious dash toward the nether end of the still-grazing Thunder. 'Twas a magnificent sight, his spectacular leap; throwing wide his legs at the top of his arc, your lord then thrust his hands down between them, connecting with the top of the pony's rear. Giving himself a further boost in such a manner, Saionji managed to accomplish what I had not. There he sat in triumph proudly atop his mount."  
  
"I told you that that was the best way in which to achieve our goal," the green-haired chieftain called out, face still bearing a grin.  
  
"Aye, my friend, so you had. And I confess to some envy at seeing your success after my rather embarrassing fall." Turning his attention back to the clanmembers seated at the rows of trestle tables, Touga continued his story, "So I made up my mind to do as my friend had done. Walking a fair pace behind my grazing rouncy, I yelled out a command for Tempest to stay, then set myself to running at my mount. Once again, I flew up into the air, my movements mimicking those I had seen my foster brother perform. But I must not have had as light a touch as your lord did, for my hands came down quite firmly on Tempest's rear, and at the touch, my horse decided -- I suppose -- that I had meant for him to gallop off. For that is exactly what that ungrateful animal did, raising his head and bolting out from under me. Yet again I suddenly had nothing underneath to break my fall. This time, at least, 'twas a rather padded part of myself that took the brunt of the force; I landed flat on my arse, my hands still thrust between my wide-spread and outstretched legs."  
  
Another roar of laughter filled the immense room, the evoked image certainly an amusing one. As Utena again couldn't help but giggle, the robust chuckle of her somewhat reluctant host joined in along with just about everyone else.  
  
"Despite my aching legs and nether end, my pride was what took the most grievous wound," the redheaded chieftain said, still walking in a slow pace as he recounted his tale, "especially since Saionji did laugh that time. However, we both had little time to dwell upon my foolishness. One look at Tempest and we discovered that the headstrong beast had decided to bolt into the forest. There was no choice now save to go after the creature. I ran, chasing my steed the best I could, while Saionji on Thunder attempted to overtake the galloping pony and grab him by the reins. As luck would have it, the stubborn horse proved to be our equal: every time one of us came close to grasping him and taking him back under control, he would dart this way or that and elude us.   
  
"So there we were, chasing the miscreant through the woods. I had thought that perhaps my ill luck was over, but that was not meant to be. At one point in the chase, I thought I had victory in my grasp -- " Touga paused again, giving his audience enough time to try to imagine what he would describe next. "Tempest dashed one way around the trunk of a great tree; I came about on the other. Seeing the elusive reins dangling there before me, just out of arm's reach, I leapt at them, intending to grab hold with all my youthful strength. With a whinny of surprise, my ungrateful beast tossed his head and turned away, breaking into a full gallop again. And I . . . Well, once again I ended up kissing the ground, this time with a horrid splat. You see, Tempest had chosen to turn and run just where a puddle from a recent rain remained, and it was in the mud that I was laid low."  
  
More laughter as Touga paced for a couple of seconds, a rueful smile on his handsome face. He didn't pick up his story again until the audience fell almost completely silent. "I scrambled to my feet once more, now covered with mud along my front from my chest down. Saionji had continued to chase after my runaway horse, so I followed along as best I could. When I caught up to your lord, Thunder and he were standing along the bank of a fast-running stream, waiting for me. Saionji had decided to let me catch up once he saw my stubborn pony trot across a wooden bridge over the stream.  
  
"Now, this wasn't a fancy bridge at all. Rather, it was made from the trunk of a large downed tree, the top part hewn flat and smooth to allow for easy walking. As it was, we would have to go single-file to cross -- or get wet by trying to wade in what looked to be a dangerously swift current. I started on ahead as Saionji dismounted; he told me that he thought it would be safer to lead Thunder across instead of continuing to ride. But as I took a couple of steps onto the bridge, a figure came from out of the brush and stepped onto the other end of the narrow structure.  
  
"It was a man, one I'd not seen before, his face wizened by the weather and his hair grizzled by age. He seemed to be a trapper of some sort, and he had the carcasses of rabbits and pheasants slung over his shoulder while a hand held a stout quarterstaff. Well aware of the scolding I would probably get once I returned home, I was in something of a hurry to retrieve my pony. I stopped; the trapper stopped. We stared at one another for a moment. Now, being well used to having others get out of my way, I called out to the other to retreat and let me cross, being sure to let him know exactly who I was. The trapper replied that he was only one man, it would take less time for him to cross than it would for both my friend and I to cross, and that he was more burdened then I. Were I a caring person, I should be the one to retreat and wait before going on my way.  
  
"Behind me, Saionji argued for taking the easier path -- just yielding the bridge and being done with it. However, I was the son of a chieftain. Therefore, if anyone had to make way, it would be the trapper, and I told him so in no uncertain terms. The trapper, on the other hand, pointed out that I didn't look the part, and that if I wished to claim the right of way, I would have to earn it. Pointing to my wooden practice sword slung from my hip, he challenged me to a duel for the bridge.  
  
"Well, I certainly thought I was better than any trapper with a quarterstaff. Granted, he would have reach on me, but I knew I was quick and agile both, trained by the best of my father's men. Pulling my sword out -- and ignoring Saionji's shouts to not let my pride get the better of me -- I came at the peasant in a rush. Oh, I ducked under his initial blow just fine. It was his followthrough that caught me unawares, I was so sure I'd get a blow in. I felt a buffet upon my head that left my ears ringing. I recall my sword maybe connecting once -- "  
  
"A glancing blow to the man's ribs," Saionji pointed out, taking a drink from his silver goblet. "Had that been a real weapon, you would have only maddened the man with a flesh wound."  
  
"True. I only clearly recall taking another pair of buffets before suddenly finding myself immersed in the rushing coldness of the stream below," Touga responded, raising a hand and running fingers though his mane of long scarlet hair to get it out of his face. "I came up gasping for breath and sputtering, then swam to shore against the fast current, discovering that the water was far deeper than I had first thought. As I drug myself up onto the banks on the opposite side, I heard the trapper make his way across his easily-won bridge. His last comment, before he disappeared into the underbrush, was that I had looked far more like a swineherd than the son of a chieftain, and that a good cleaning was needed anyway. The moment the way was clear, Saionji lead Thunder over the bridge and helped me get myself back to solid ground."  
  
Over the titters and guffaws, the elegant chieftain continued with his narrative. "At the very least, I wasn't exactly muddy anymore. However, I was now soaking wet and still missing my pony. Knowing the dire consequences that awaited me at home should I return without Tempest, I started searching for any signs of the horse's spoor. To my relief, Saionji managed to discover the runaway mount's trail, and together we set off along it, hoping to retrieve my mount relatively soon.  
  
"It didn't take long after all. We climbed up along a rise, finding ourselves in a grassy meadow strewn with wildflowers. In the center of the meadow, on a hillock, sat a manor house, and there were fields with peasants working within them surrounding the structure. At the edge of the meadow, Tempest was busily grazing upon the grass. And patting him, softly talking to him, was a rather rotund-appearing knight. Somewhat mindful of my last encounter, I decided that perhaps demanding would be the wrong approach. So Saionji and I walked up to the knight and we introduced ourselves, and I nicely explained that I had my rouncy bolt on me and that I would please like to have him back. The rotund knight greeted us, took in our bedraggled state and offered us the hospitality of his manor. Since the sun was still somewhat high in the sky, I accepted the offer. Saionji remained silent, looking around the meadow."  
  
Yet again with the slow pacing as he thought over the events those years ago. "We were led across the fields, the peasants looking our way as we did so, but all seemed welcoming and friendly. At the manor, a couple of grooms looked after our rouncies. We were led into the Great Hall and invited to eat the noon meal with them. Considering all that had happened -- and that we were boys only thirteen years old, and possessed of the normal appetites of that age -- both Saionji and I thought that something to eat would be a good idea. We were seated in the places of honor at the high table, next to the knight and his equally rotund lady wife.  
  
"It looked to be a feast like any other," Touga stated, stopping and sweeping an arm in a gesture that encompassed those sitting there finishing their own meals. "The household there, being served by the kitchen staff, the high table presented with each dish. In this case, the food wasn't announced as it was brought forth; it was merely shown and set upon the table. It looked rather good to me, to be honest, but I noticed Saionji staring at the platter. Shrugging it off, I stabbed the meat in orange sauce and put some on my trencher. I cut up a piece and just as I started to raise it to my mouth, Saionji suddenly hissed and grabbed me by the wrist, forcing my hand back down. Needless to say, I was startled, but his whispered explanation made me more astonished.  
  
"He told me to look at the dish sitting before us -- to really *look* at it. I stared at the food, and amazingly, I saw it shift in appearance. Blinking, I looked at him again, and he stated that ever since we'd entered the meadow, he'd had the sense of something being wrong. The manor here was in a place where no manor was before, for we hadn't strayed from Kiryuu lands. The moment I realized he was right and I wondered just where we truly were, our entire surroundings suddenly changed appearance, as if a veil of illusion had been torn away. The Great Hall was dark and filthy, looking to have years of neglect. The people seated at the tables were now goblins, imps, sprites and other mischievous fairies, while our hosts were of the Dark Fey themselves--a vile-looking hag and an equally noisome ogre, a pair of those races of faires truly dangerous to mortal man. And the food that they were so eagerly devouring and praising how wonderful it was . . .  
  
"Let me tell you, there was no more atrocious menu I had ever before beheld," the scarlet-haired highlander said. "The first course, once I truly looked at it, turned out to be cold whole mudpuppies in orange sauce. I confess to feeling a bit queasy once I saw the little creature sliced in half by my knife sitting there on my trencher."  
  
No laughter now, but rather groans of dismay filled the Great Hall of Pinehaven as the audience imagined being served that for dinner. Utena's eyes grew wide at the telling, her own stomach suddenly feeling not so well at the description. Next to her, Saionji's mirthful expression had given way to a serious one, but he had not as yet taken up scowling at the world again.  
  
"And it remained just as bad," Touga said. "The second course was crunchy lizard tails *au gratin*, while the third was blackened finger cakes with sardines and melted cheese. The fourth course consisted of braised catfish lips with peppercorns and parsley, the fifth was candied cat and dog ears and the sixth -- "  
  
"Roasted boar testicles on a stick," Saionji interrupted, eliciting more groans from everyone there.  
  
"But how did you know for sure what they were?" someone shouted out from the audience.  
  
"'Twas simple. We asked our hosts what they were," the green-haired lord replied.  
  
Touga nodded in agreement. "While our Fey hosts ate everything before them with gusto, they noticed us not eating and asked us how we liked the fare. Though we stayed at the table throughout the entire meal out of respect for the hospitality offered us, we both agreed after a discussion that it would be better to deal honestly with the Fey rather than try to deceive them. So we honestly stated, after asking and being told what each course was, that such a dish just wasn't to our liking and that we would wait for the next. Our answers each time garnered us hearty laughter, a rolling of the eyes and a statement that we 'outsiders' were always so squeamish. Once the meal was over and the goblin servants were picking up the remains, the Dark Fey knight complimented us on our honesty and our manners. He then led us out to the stables, where imp grooms handed us back our rouncies. Mounting up, we bid our unusual hosts farewell and rode away from the manor, doing our best to not look as nervous as we felt. The moment we entered the woods from the meadow, we found ourselves suddenly riding into our usual sparring place. Still too shaken by our encounter to even think about dismounting and trying to get any practice in, we continued on to home.  
  
"And thus our adventure came to an end. Truly, had your lord not been as perceptive and as determined to discover what was wrong, I may yet be trapped within Faerie to this day, enchanted by the food and drink -- for it looked to be the best of dishes under the cloak of illusion -- of that place. Thus, as I said at the start of this tale, I truly feel indebted of my life to Saionji." Turning to face his friend once more, the redheaded lord gave the other chieftain a smile. "You have always been the best of friends. May you have a long and happy reign." Bowing slightly, Touga abandoned the place between high table and low, returning to his seat next to his foster brother to the cheers and the pounding of dagger pommels against the sturdy wood of the table.  
  
"A marvelous tale indeed," Utena whispered to the scarlet-haired highlander once he had seated himself next to her. "I'm most impressed."  
  
"Thank you, my lady," Touga responded, giving her a warm smile. The look of delight within her aquamarine eyes gave him a slightly lightheaded -- almost giddy -- feeling.  
  
"Well told," Saionji grudgingly said. "Though I'm surprised that you chose that particular memory to confess."  
  
"I'm every bit as human as anyone else," the Kiryuu prince replied. "And that was the point. Thank you, Saionji, for letting me do so."  
  
"What are friends for?" was the other chieftain's sole response before he took another long sip from his goblet of wine. 


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven  
  
Supper ended rather uneventfully. The dishes were cleared away as the musicians played soft melodies on lute and harp. The trio of nobles lingered there at the high table while the various members of Clan Saionji began to disperse, following their individual routines. The story Lord Touga had related had seemed to warm the situation between the foster brothers and the clan; to Utena's discriminating eye, she could see less hostile looks tossed their way, and the conversation between the pair of chieftains had lapsed into a recollection of shared adventures. While quite pleased with her possible champion's success so far, the rose-haired maiden couldn't help but feel a bit of dismay at the longing way her maidservant Wakaba continued to stare at the verdant-maned highlander. Sadly, she knew that such a man as Lord Kyouichi was beyond her servant's reach. A prince such as he married for power, and often had mistresses for love -- to the detriment of the women so involved for such individuals were usually scorned by society.  
  
While the two noblemen continued to speak about their shared past, Utena gently caressed her silver cup with a finger, lost in thought. Unexpected movement caught her eye; the figure of a ruddy-haired man stepped up onto the dais and rapidly approached the fortress's lord. After a few moments' whispered conversation, the Saionji warrior made an equally hasty retreat.  
  
"Interesting," she heard Touga murmur next to her.  
  
"What is, my lord?" she asked, staring up at the scarlet-haired chieftain.  
  
"Apparently there's a messenger at the portal."  
  
"But it's after dark. Must be an urgent missive indeed," the pink-maned girl replied, her curiosity piqued. Like virtually every stronghold in the uncertain world, the gates of Pinehaven were closed and barred against the dangers of the night. That a messenger arrived after twilight instead of finding a place to sleep out the darkness hinted at an urgency above the norm, for usually the porter of a fortress would refuse to open the gates for anyone at that hour.  
  
"That seems to be Saionji's guess as well, since he gave the order for the messenger to be allowed in."  
  
What conversation that remained within the Great Hall came to a halt as the ruddy-haired clansman returned, the slender form of a youthful male trailing behind. The lad was a comely one, with light golden-brown hair neatly trimmed short, his dark blue hose and sky blue tunic covered over with a tabard -- a sleeveless surcoat consisting of front and back panels of cloth tied together at the sides reserved for the exclusive use of heralds. Emblazoned upon both rectangular panels of royal blue cloth was a heraldic device: over a golden oak tree uprooted from the ground, a silver dove flew upward into the sky. Though the coat of arms meant little to the pink-haired maiden, the highlander lords obviously knew it.  
  
Upon seeing the young herald, Saionji hissed in what seemed to be alarm, his noble form stiffening and his violet eyes widening. A contrast to his friend, Touga appeared merely curious at the messenger's appearance, though the green-haired chieftain's reaction made the Red Tyger raise his eyebrows. "Hmm . . . I wonder what message was so urgent that the Kaoru sent out a herald so late in the day?"  
  
Catching his words, Utena turned her aquamarine gaze from the heraldically-attired newcomer to look at the scarlet-haired lord. "The Kaoru?" she queried. The name struck a chord, being that of a family somewhere just beyond those clans just across the border between the northern kingdom and the kingdom from which she came.  
  
With a scrape of wood against wood, Saionji rose from his throne-like seat, crossing over the remaining distance between his guests and the herald with a few rapidly taken strides.  
  
"Aye, Clan Kaoru," the Kiryuu prince replied, cobalt gaze remaining focused upon his friend and the messenger. "They are a relatively modest clan in both power and numbers, and their holdings border both the Saionji lands and mine to the south." Watching as the golden-brown-haired youth showed the other prince some sort of proof of the veracity of the message -- from what he could see, Touga was certain that the herald had shown a leaf of blank vellum adorned with a wax seal bearing the impression of the Great Seal of Clan Kaoru -- the redheaded noble leaned back in his chair.  
  
Continuing to stare at the knot of people, Utena noted that whatever the message was, it was apparently memorized by the herald given the youth's rigid stance and unfocused expression as he talked to the green-haired lord. "What do you think it could be about?" she softly questioned. After all, they were Touga's neighbors. One could reasonably assume that he would have some knowledge of the doings of the other clans that surrounded his holdings.  
  
"I'm not sure," the redheaded nobleman admitted, his expression thoughtful. (Why *would* the Kaoru feel it important to contact Saionji? Unless . . .) His expression hardened, a suspicion suddenly impinging upon his thoughts.  
  
The group of people being watched broke apart, the tall figure of the emerald-haired prince swiftly walking back toward the high table, the herald and the Saionji warrior trailing behind. Both the Kiryuu chieftain and the noble maiden straightened as Saionji rejoined them. Turning toward the youthful messenger, he gruffly demanded, "Repeat to Lord Touga what you told me about the Phoenix and the Panther."  
  
(Ohtori and Arisugawa?) Touga wondered, eyebrows rising in surprise. Of the families of the highlands, those two were the ones truly able to rival his own wealth and power. Whereas the holdings of the Golden Panther -- the chieftain of the Arisugawa was so called for the coat of arms that symbolized the clan -- were located further north in the rugged country to which had been pushed the ancient peoples of the island, those of the Ebon Phoenix -- the ruler of Clan Ohtori -- could be found along the border shared between kingdoms.  
  
Utena blinked, startled, recognizing the reference to "the Phoenix". Clan Ohtori -- a powerful family that was perhaps the most influential in the courts of Utena's home kingdom, especially under the rulership of the man that had married the former chieftain's only child -- had for its heraldic symbol a black phoenix rising from a nest of red flames all on a silver background. She'd seen Lord Akio before, resplendent in white clothing trimmed in red and black, those times she had been to the royal court; the pale-lavender haired prince had struck her as not only being the very image of a chivalrous and handsome lord but also somehow familiar.  
  
"If it pleases, my lord, I bear a message from the heir of the Kaoru," the golden-brown-haired herald began, bowing in respect to his new audience while he slipped once more into his memorized patter. "Rumors abound of the forces of the Ebon Phoenix already gathering in their lord's strongholds. The neighboring clans are nervous, certain that Ohtori will be making hostile moves as spring advances. Lord Miki assures that his own investigation points to the veracity of the rumors. His own scouts have reported the movements of Ohtori warriors towards the castles closest to the northern borders of Lord Akio's lands."  
  
Touga frowned, not liking the message at all.  
  
"Of the Golden Panther, the news is this," the messenger continued, dark brown eyes remaining staring and unfocused. "It's been finally learned that since the dead of winter, the chieftain of Clan Tsuchiya has been missing. No one's seen any trace of him despite the efforts Clan Arisugawa has put into discovering his whereabouts, so the Golden Panther has appealed to all of the clans to search for him."  
  
"And here we are caught in the middle," Saionji muttered.  
  
The scarlet-maned lord nodded, understanding his friend's concern. Ohtori lay to the south of them, just beyond the Kaoru lands. The Arisugawa were allied to the Tsuchiya as overlords; with the chieftain missing, they would have to do their best to maintain order within their vassal clan while either Lord Ruka was found or a new chieftain was chosen. If Ohtori was truly going to go on a conquering campaign against his neighbors, having the holdings to the north in inner turmoil would increase the Ebon Phoenix's chances for accomplishing his goals. "And the Kaoru are positioned to take the brunt of it if he truly does go on the move. Did Lord Miki ask our assistance in this matter?"  
  
"No," the violet-eyed nobleman answered, then scowled. "Actually, he asked if I could possibly travel to Kaoru Keep to further discuss the matter."  
  
"What about me?"  
  
"There was no mention of you, Lord Touga," Saionji responded.  
  
"Hmm." The Kiryuu prince mulled over the news. (Either another herald was sent to my home for me to hear of this in that manner, or . . .) "Saionji, is there any reason for the Kaoru to think that you are more willing to help them against anything Ohtori may do than I?" he asked, fixing his foster brother with his steady gaze.  
  
The other highlander chieftain glared back, his stance becoming abruptly defensive.  
  
That alone was all the confirmation Touga truly needed. Closing his eyes a moment and suppressing a groan, he sighed. Remembering his promise to deal honestly always with his friend, the redheaded lord took a moment to pick his words carefully. "You have every right to make alliances as you see fit, Saionji, however, I ask you to think carefully over your actions. It's my opinion that Lady Kozue would not be a good match for you."  
  
"How did you . . .?" hissed Saionji, a thunderstruck expression on his handsome face. Recovering, he shook his head, his long, curly locks of emerald green swaying about him. "Never mind that. You'd just say whatever it takes to get your own way."  
  
Hand still caressing the glimmering metal of her goblet, Utena silently watched as the lords talked amongst themselves. Behind them, the tabard-enshrouded herald and the Saionji warrior patiently waited in silence for their dismissal.  
  
"If that's what you believe then there's little I can do to dissuade you of that notion," Touga replied, a melancholy light deep within his cobalt-blue eyes. "However, I do truly believe that Lady Kozue would only make you miserable. I'd rather see you happy, my friend. And that means even if you decide to wed someone other than my sister."  
  
"A likely story," Saionji muttered, turning his attention back to the two men standing behind him.  
________________  
  
The jingle of tack and the thump of horse hooves on the packed earth of the trail broke through the peaceful stillness of the surrounding evergreen forest. Large aquamarine eyes attempting to scan over the way ahead, Utena found herself continually staring at the back of the Kiryuu prince. Each time she looked upon him -- he was easy to spot with the springtime sun shining down upon his mane of long, straight hair -- she could feel a pleasant warmth fill her. Now a smile graced her beautiful face whenever she thought about the two of them dancing under the stars, where before it had made her grit her teeth in irritation.  
  
Once the Kaoru herald had been escorted to a cot to spend the night with the other household staff of Pinehaven, and the rest of the Saionji clanmembers had scattered and settled down for the night, the trio of nobles had remained at the high table, Utena's entourage staying seated at one of the trestle tables on the hall floor. A short debate had ensued, coming to a conclusion that had led to her presence here on this southward-winding trail. Touga had been able to talk his friend into allowing him and the rose-haired maiden to accompany Saionji to the other clan's stronghold.  
  
Also as part of the party were her four servants and Touga's five warriors, along with an equal number of Saionji men and the herald that had arrived the night before. The two chieftains rode at the head of the group with a pair of the Saionji and a pair of the Kiryuu flanking them. Then came Utena, Wakaba and Shiori directly behind her and Ryu and Tatsuya immediately following them. The remainder of the highlanders brought up the rear, their eyes constantly searching for any signs of unexpected hostility.  
  
Their travel along the path from Pinehaven to Kaoru Keep had been an uneventful one, the weather sunny and losing its early springtime chill. They had ridden along the base of the Saionji's valley along the banks of the Whitewater, following the rapids-filled river up to its source high up the side of the ridge that surrounded the southern end of the glen. Then it was up and over the shoulder of the ridge through a narrow pass that opened up at the source of yet another river. The pathway followed along the Blue River's bank, leading them down into the forest-covered lands of the other valley.  
  
They broke from the trees, emerging out into cultivated land. The peasants out working the fields -- the ground had softened enough from the late winter frosts to begin the plowing -- paused in their labors long enough to stare at the riders passing by, though Utena was pleased to see that they appeared more curious than anything else and there were no hostile glares tossed their way. From what she could observe, the rose-haired maiden got the sense that this clan had fared perhaps not quite as well as the Kiryuu but better than the Saionji over the season just past.  
  
Continuing onward, she could see that the river widened into a lake. From an island the rose from that waters, a stone-walled keep overlooked the blue-tinted liquid. Guessing that this was the capital of Clan Kaoru, she couldn't help but wonder just what awaited them there.  
  
Noting their destination appearing in the distance, Touga finally gave into the temptation that had been prodding him ever since they had set out on their journey. Turning in the saddle, he gave his gentle guest a long, lingering look. Once again she was dressed in a boyish costume, her tunic and hose this time in shades of blue that enhanced the color of her large eyes, a dark blue tam much like her rose pink one perched atop her head. It still amazed him slightly that she could fit all that hair of hers under those hats, and he found her attractive as the fake youth simply because he was aware of her true femininity underneath her slight disguise.  
  
Movement to the right caught Saionji's eye. Glancing that way and discovering his foster brother staring over his shoulder, the green-haired lord smirked slightly. "I still think she's got a touch of the Fey," he said, those being the first words either one of them had spoken since the beginning of the trip.  
  
"If she's the sorceress, I would hardly mind being lost in enchantment," the Kiryuu prince replied. "Ever since I pulled her from the lake, I've had a feeling that we were fated to be together."  
  
"I envy you," Saionji muttered, "being sure of what the future would hold."  
  
Touga wisely decided to remain silent, shifting his attention back to keeping his eye on the path while letting his thoughts drift once more to the delicate beauty riding behind him. Three times now she had challenged him; three times he had apparently passed her tests. Of the six virtues held in esteem by those who spoke of the power of Love, he had yet to face tests for justice, forgiveness and trust. Though curious as to what she could ask of him to prove himself in those virtues, he had to admit to being impatient. There were times he felt like just sweeping her off her feet and seducing her into being his, but then would come an empty hollowness at the thought of "winning" her in such an underhanded manner. No, he *would* protect her, even from himself, and he would earn his precious rose's love the honorable way.  
  
With the thunder of hooves across the heavy wooden planks of the drawbridge, the group of travelers crossed over into the bailey surrounding the keep. Like Touga's home, this was another shell tower, with a stone outer wall and wooden construction inside, and the curtain wall along the shore of the island was stone as well. The small castle seemed in good repair; hearing noises and glancing up, Utena could see a crew working on the top of the tower. More than likely they were pouring molten lead over the roof to better protect it from the elements of that northern clime. Their arrival was announced by a shout from those standing guard atop the gatehouse; the moment they came to a halt, a number of grooms appeared from the stables to see to their horses.  
  
The newcomers remained standing in a small knot, the warriors loosely surrounding the servants and nobles in the center, while the door to the stone keep opened. The figure that emerged was that of a lad, his straight azure hair cropped short, his countenance one that bespoke at once of both keen intelligence and youthful innocence. Dressed in garb of blue, silver and white that accented his coloring, he carried himself with a regality and maturity that was at odds with his age of fourteen winters. As the youth walked down the stone steps, another figure emerged from the keep. This one was that of a girl; in appearance, she looked almost like the young lord, though her hair was slightly longer and of a violet-blue hue, her eyes a darker shade of azure. Like the other, she too was clad in the same colors, her surcoat of darkest blue and her chemise snowy white.  
  
"Lord Miki Kaoru and his twin sister, Lady Kozue," murmured Touga to his rose-haired companion by way of an explanation. "He helps his father, the chieftain, rule over their clan."  
  
"And she?" Utena asked, catching a tone of *something* in the tall noble's voice.  
  
"She watches over her brother much as my sister watches over me."  
  
"Oh . . ." the boyishly-clad maiden replied, recalling how jealously clinging Lady Nanami was.  
  
"Lord Saionji, a pleasure to see you. I'm glad to see that my message went through," the azure-haired youth called out the moment he was within shouting range of his soft-spoken voice. Large blue eyes settled upon the scarlet-haired chieftain for a moment. "And Lord Touga? I had expected your arrival somewhat later. A surprise . . ."  
  
"I happened to be visiting my foster brother at his keep when your herald arrived," the Kiryuu prince answered. "Your message seemed to be of an urgent matter, so I asked to accompany Saionji on his journey here."  
  
"Well, 'tis good fortune that. Welcome, both of you, to my humble abode," Miki said, stepping forward. Behind him, his sister walked in his wake while the Saionji and Kiryuu warriors parted ranks to allow the twin nobles through. For a moment, Kozue's sapphire eyes stared at the emerald-maned chieftain with an almost calculating look before she glanced demurely away. Though the look was a fleeting one, it still made the hair on the nape of Utena's neck rise, a chill shivering down her spine. Then she found herself being stared at by the noble lad. "And who is this?" the Kaoru heir queried, glancing to the older men in curiosity.  
  
"Lord Miki, Lady Kozue, may I introduce to you Lady Utena Tenjou," responded Touga, gesturing to the girl in question. "Lady Utena, the children of the chieftain of Clan Kaoru -- "  
  
"Lady Utena Tenjou?" Miki replied, large eyes going wide. "From the lowlands, correct?"  
  
"Aye, my lord," the rose-haired maiden responded, inwardly frowning. Well aware of the tensions between the highlanders and the people who resided in the southern kingdom, she couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed at the thought of this innocent-seeming lord harboring some of those resentments.  
  
To her relief, Miki merely nodded, apparently filing that information away for some future use. His attention turning to the other men, he spun on a heel and gestured for them to follow him. "Let's go inside where I may discuss things further. Kozue, could you please see to it that Lady Utena and her entourage are found suitable quarters?"  
  
"As you wish, my lord," the sapphire-eyed maiden replied, taking a step toward the oddly-dressed girl. As the noblemen and their warriors walked away, Kozue gave the other maiden a long looking over. "Aren't you an interesting one. Come along and follow me," she ordered, striding off toward the keep a number of paces behind the group her brother was leading.  
  
"There's something unsettling about that one," Wakaba whispered, trotting forward to get right next to her mistress. Brown eyes remaining fixed on their hostess, the ponytailed handmaiden added, "I don't think she's very trustworthy."  
  
"I'm sure we're in good enough hands," Utena murmured reassuringly.  
________________  
  
"I'm worried. From what I've been hearing, Ohtori could be seriously thinking of campaigning against the neighboring clans this year," the azure-haired noble said, taking a sip from his silver goblet. Seated in a comfortably-upholstered chair in his father's office, Miki glanced from Saionji to Touga. "All winter long there's been talk of their blacksmiths working long hours by torchlight to repair and make armor and weaponry. Heeding the rumors, I've sent out some of my most trusted men to slip across the border and observe the various strongholds of the Phoenix nearest our lands. Ever since the hard frosts broke, they've been reporting back a gathering of mounted knights in those fortresses."  
  
"And you've not done anything in your own southern fortresses that would prompt Ohtori into thinking he needed to fortify his along the border, correct?" Touga asked, his expression one of contemplation.  
  
"No," the Kaoru heir answered, shaking his head. "You know me. I'd much rather get along in peace with my neighbors. However, since I have confirmation that his forces are shifting northward, I'd be a fool to not shift my own forces accordingly."  
  
"Agreed," Saionji responded, nodding. "Because of topography, he'd more than likely just come marching straight through your lands to push northward. I hate to say it, but the Kiryuu are too powerful for him to just leave alone if he's making a serious bid to wrest control of the highlands."  
  
"If he's foolish enough to do that, you're damned right I'll do my best to cut him off from his supplies in his own lands," the scarlet-maned chieftain said. Glancing over at his friend, he nodded, "And I hope you stand with me should it come to that, Saionji."  
  
The verdant-haired lord scowled, taking a sip of his drink, his hand clenching the cup hard enough for his knuckles to turn white.  
  
Feeling the sudden tension in the office, the youngest nobleman there flicked his bright blue gaze worriedly from one guest to the other. Those who lived near the Saionji and the Kiryuu were aware of the rivalry between the foster brothers; the emerald-haired chieftain had made his feelings on the matter quite public numerous times.  
  
Touga gave his friend a long look, ignoring the twinge of sadness that came in response to not getting an immediate avowal to face a common threat together. After a pause, he gently queried, "Will you stand with me against the Phoenix should he march against me?"  
  
"I don't see that I have much of a choice," the violet-eyed lord growled. "As your vassal, I *must* stand with you."  
  
"I'm not ordering as overlord, Saionji," the redheaded chieftain responded. "I came to visit you as a brother and a friend, and I'm asking you as an ally for your help in a time of need. Please?"  
  
The hand clenching the silver goblet slowly relaxed. The last thing the verdant-maned prince had wanted was to have advantage taken of his friendship, of being forced to help simply because it was assumed he would. That he was being asked, and not ordered, soothed his ruffled pride. "Very well, Lord Touga," he finally said. "Should Ohtori come knocking upon your door, my clan will be there with yours to toss him back where he belongs." Smiling faintly, he raised his cup in a slight salute towards the other man. "As brothers and allies then."  
  
"I'm actually hoping to forge an alliance with the Saionji myself," Miki softly said, entering the conversation again. "I knew the two of you would stand together, given your past, but we are between you and the Phoenix -- "  
  
"I'll give you what aid I can, Lord Miki," Touga replied, "and you'll not have to give anything in return. Ohtori is a serious threat to the way things are, and I'd rather not see him gain control of the kingdom. Saionji's right: I'm too dangerous to the Phoenix's plans to be left in peace. He will eventually come for me, so I'd rather take the fight to him on my terms."  
  
The innocent-appearing youth smiled in relief. "Thank you, Lord Touga. I hesitated in asking for your assistance, unsure of your reaction." Tilting his head slightly, Miki then frowned. "The lady that's traveling with you . . ."  
  
"Lady Utena," the redheaded lord supplied.  
  
"Aye. There's something you must know."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Ohtori's searching for her," the azure-haired youth answered, frowning. Noticing the startled looks both noblemen were giving him, Miki continued, "As part of my information-gathering, I had my men pose as peasants and merchants. One of the things I've consistently heard is how Ohtori's been sending people throughout the lowland kingdom looking for a Lady Utena Tenjou. She apparently travels often, and has managed to elude those sent to find her."  
  
"Any idea on what he wants from her?" Touga asked, cobalt-blue eyes narrowing at the thought of the handsome prince -- or anyone, for that matter -- getting their hands on his delicate rose.  
  
"That's something I've been unable to discover," Miki reluctantly admitted, shaking his head in the negative.  
  
Leaning back in his sturdy, oaken-framed chair, Saionji stared off into the distance, a thoughtful expression on his usually sour countenance. Not long after his foster father had sent the little pink-haired girl home with her remaining relatives, a group of men had come looking for her. Though not privy to the conversation between the now-dead Kiryuu chieftain and the strangers, Saionji recalled their tones being harsh and demanding and their departure had been less than cordial. At the time, Touga had been elsewhere, training up with the exchequer on how to tally the demesne's accounts; the green-haired boy had excused himself from the same lesson to use the garderobe to relieve himself and the tones of angry voices had caught his attention. Though puzzled back then and thinking the encounter strange, it was a memory that had slipped his mind until now. Why would those men have been looking for a girl already returned to her family? And why would Ohtori be searching for her now?  
  
"Well, it looks like I shall have to discover that for myself," murmured the scarlet-haired lord before taking a long sip from his goblet.  
  
Their azure-haired host then turned his equally blue gaze to stare at Saionji. "Have you decided on an answer yet, my lord?"  
  
"I'm still thinking about it," he replied, reaching up to brush a stray lock of emerald hair from his face.  
  
"There are others interested as well," Miki pointed out.  
  
"I'll give you a definitive answer very soon," Saionji reassured. "Just tell me what's all this about Lord Ruka going missing?"  
  
"The lands of the Golden Panther are in an uproar. It seems that Lord Ruka's been missing since Midwinter's Day, but so certain were the Arisugawa that he'd be found on either his lands or theirs that they've kept his disappearance to themselves. With the coming of spring and the opening up of travel, it became certain that he wasn't anywhere they expected," the young nobleman replied.  
  
"I'm certain that the Arisugawa is less than pleased at this turn of events," commented Touga, taking a sip from his chalice. "A large portion of their power comes from their control of the Tsuchiya."  
  
"Of course," Saionji muttered. "I'm sure the Panther is on the prowl."  
  
"There's no heir-designate either," Miki remarked, his wide-eyed expression turning even more unsure. Highland custom took into consideration how brutal elections to clan leadership could be, so often a current chieftain would name a successor -- usually the eldest son, though any relative with enough royal blood could be so designated -- and the elections held after the chieftain's death often were only approvals of what had been planned all along. "Lord Ruka hadn't gotten around to naming one, and he has no offspring . . ."  
  
"Wonderful," the emerald-maned lord growled, shaking his head slightly. In order to rule, since a chieftain was considered the avatar of the royal power of the entire clan -- a holdover from ancient times, when a clan leader symbolically married the land that supported him and thus became a semi-divine figure -- any person of the blood royal needed to be physically whole and mentally capable. Those that weren't invited ill luck to plague the clan, thus the blind, the simple, the lame, or disfigured could not accept the coronet. There were many a family who ruthlessly clawed their way to the top by blinding or otherwise maiming their royal relatives to disqualify them for the ascension to the chieftainship. "So the Arisugawa gets stuck mediating a scramble for power within their largest vassal clan. A rather unfortunate coincidence given the Phoenix's sword-rattling."  
  
"I wouldn't put it past Ohtori to have known about this all along," Touga replied.  
  
"Aye, he seems to have eyes and ears in a number of places," Miki said.  
  
Cobalt-blue gaze flicking over to settle on his foster brother, the Kiryuu prince mulled over an idea that had prodded him numerous times since learning of his friend's elevation to chieftain. Saionji had grown up feeling inferior, being constantly reminded of his subordinate position. All through their boyhood and adolescence, Touga had had little desire to have such a relationship with the other royal heir. Indeed, his whole push to claim Saionji as a foster brother had been to gain for himself a friend -- an equal -- not some underling to order around. For as long as the former chieftain had been alive, it had been Saionji's father who was the subordinate. Now that it was Saionji himself, the redheaded noble was swiftly discovering that he had little stomach for enforcing such a submissive role onto his friend.  
  
(Does he feel the same unease, I wonder?) Touga asked himself. (To be always treated as an equal, only to now be made to bow and scrape should he do what's proper now that we are grown?) The question made the Red Tyger narrow his eyes in irritation. Around him, the conversation had fallen into an awkward silence. (No. I want to keep my friend, not my vassal. I would rather see him happy . . .) Staring into his silver goblet, the scarlet-maned nobleman softly called out, "Saionji."  
  
Emerald eyebrows rose in curiosity at the odd note in his friend's voice. "Aye?" he responded, violet gaze staring at the other noble.  
  
"I have a gift for you. Lord Miki, would you kindly be my witness?"  
  
The youthful noble blinked, startled at the softly-spoken request. "Sure, Your Lordship," he managed to stammer out, wondering what was about to unfold. "I'll witness whatever you'd like."  
  
"Thank you." Giving the azure-haired youth a smile, Touga then turned his attention back to the verdant-maned man. "I promised you that I came to visit you only as your brother and friend. Forgive me for slipping into the role of overlord for just this moment."  
  
Saionji scowled, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "What are you about, Touga?"  
  
"This." The redheaded lord pushed back his chair, rising to booted feet. Light flashed off his signet ring as he extended his hand toward the glaring highlander. "I, Touga, Chieftain and prince of Clan Kiryuu, hereby revoke and dismiss from my service Lord Kyouichi Saionji and all his clan. The debt of blood is resolved, and you and yours are free of any claims and obligations I may have had as overlord. From this day forward, Clan Saionji shall have all the powers, privileges and obligations they had as an independent coronet in the days of our grandfathers."  
  
(What?) All Saionji could do was stare, thunderstruck, at the standing nobleman. They were being released from their vassalage? Able to once again make their own destiny as they saw fit? Could his one true dream be that easy to grasp after all this time?  
  
"Lord Touga . . ." Miki softly breathed, equally stunned. Sadly, experience had shown him that most would grab at any chance of power, yet here was one willing to give up a measure of control -- for apparently nothing more then a deep friendship.  
  
"You heard and witnessed, Lord Miki," the scarlet-haired chieftain replied. "Clan Saionji is free of my control."  
  
"What do you *want*?" abruptly growled Saionji. Surely there had to be some strings attached, *somewhere*.  
  
Lowering his gaze to focus on the office's carpet-adorned floor, Touga brought to mind his promise to the rose-haired maiden. Those that loved dealt honestly with the objects of their affection, no matter what form that love took. Saionji deserved the truth; to do otherwise would be disrespectful of the friendship they had. "I want my friend, Saionji. I want my foster brother. We can't be what we were to one another if I remain your overlord, and you are not your father."  
  
"That's it? That's all you want?" He frowned, uncertain. Yet the melancholy Saionji saw etched upon his friend's countenance seemed genuine.  
  
"It's all I want. Nothing more."  
  
"If you think I'm going to suddenly grovel at your feet -- "  
  
Touga laughed, his chuckle filling the room as he lifted his hand to run long fingers though his straight, silky red hair. "No, Saionji. I don't even care if you thank me or not. I only desire your friendship, not your prostrate form at my feet."  
  
"Good," the emerald-haired lord replied. "Because friendship is all you're going to get from me."  
  
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Touga responded. 


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight  
  
Light glimmered and flashed with a ruddy hue, the surrounding gold equally bright, as slender fingers turned the ruby-studded brooch this way and that. Aquamarine eyes remained focused on the intricate designs around the four heart-shaped stones while the rose-haired maiden's thoughts gently drifted.  
  
She had owned the brooch for nearly as long as she could remember. Though the tragic events of losing her parents were forever etched in her heart, her memories of the time immediately afterward were hazy. Somehow, she had acquired the piece of jewelry she now held in her hand, then had been somewhere safe. After that, she could vaguely recall a trip home followed by growing up in the care of her aunt's household.  
  
The quest, however, had always haunted her, hovering there constantly in the back of her mind . . .  
  
"So, m'lady," murmured a voice from behind. "Do you think the Red Tyger's the one?"  
  
Pulled from her musings, Utena lifted her gaze while twisting to face the source of the sound. Noting Shiori's presence there, an expression of eager curiosity on the handmaiden's face, the young noblewoman replied, "Of those who have tried so far, he is the one furthest down the path to the goal. Three more tests must he face."  
  
"And then?" the short-haired servant asked, the light of anxious anticipation alight in her large, violet eyes.  
  
"If he passes, then he'll be sent to recover the sword known as Love's Honor," Utena responded. Unlike Wakaba, who had been her servant for years and was as much a friend as a handmaiden, the slightly older Shiori had only been in the young noble's employ for a few months, since about a turn of the moon after Midwinter's Day. The shorter-haired brunette wasn't as privy to the quest that drove the pink-maned girl as her dear friend Wakaba was. "Whether he can wield the sword or not would be his ultimate challenge."  
  
"Where is this Love's Honor to be found, m'lady?" Shiori queried, her countenance still bright-eyed and eager.  
  
Utena turned away, her gaze once more settling upon the object of gold and rubies resting in the grasp of a hand. "That is something I may only tell the one worthy to attempt to gain the blade."  
  
Unseen by her mistress, Shiori's face took on an expression that was a mix of extreme disappointment and barely-controlled rage. However, the look was a fleeting one, swiftly buried beneath a pleasantly bland one as the violet-eyed brunette regained her self-control. By the time Utena turned back around to walk past the older girl, Shiori seemed to be the very essence of a demure and helpful lady in waiting. "So how will you know if he's the one?"  
  
"If he passes the tests I have remaining, then he has earned a chance to try to claim the sword," came the reply as Utena stepped into the window embrasure and gracefully perched upon the embroidered pillows there on the window seat. Slipping the brooch onto her masculinely-tailored tunic, she then reached out and pushed open the shutters that kept the outside elements from the fortress's room. With a deep breath of the outside air, she smiled as her sea-blue gaze scanned out over the lake that surrounded the strong shell keep. To the west, the sun was a fiery orange ball, the deeply-hued light making the outside world gleam as if it were made of molten gold. Soon they would be called down to the Great Hall for the evening meal, and part of her mind focused on the fact that she would need to clothe herself in garb more appropriate for someone of her station. Glancing up into the darkening sky, she knew that soon the stars would be out -- and a sudden desire to dance under them again with the tall and dashing Kiryuu prince imposed itself upon her awareness, making her feel slightly warm despite the cool evening breeze flowing through the open window.  
  
Admittedly, his intense interest in her as a woman had startled and frightened her, making her feel too uneasy to think of anything but to pull away from him. However, he had apologized and stepped back, giving her space to breathe, to collect her thoughts and racing emotions. And in that space, she was beginning to see a man she could come to admire.  
  
Just then, the ironbound oaken door to the guest chamber burst open, an animated figure nearly flying through the open stone archway. Her shimmering brown ponytail bobbing with the rhythmic motion of her excited stride across the carpet-adorned wooden floor, Wakaba called out, "Lady Utena! Lady Utena!"  
  
"Over here, Wakaba," the noblewoman in question responded, leaning forward as she turned her attention away from the sunset-gilded landscape beyond. Waving a hand to further catch her servant's gaze, she queried, "What is it?"  
  
"You're not going to believe this, but it's the talk all over the keep," the brown-eyed handmaiden replied, rushing over to her mistress. "All the servants are gossiping about it!"  
  
"What is it?" Utena repeated, grinning at the excited antics of the other teenager.  
  
"Lord Touga released Lord Kyouichi from the bonds of vassalage. Clan Saionji's an independent coronet once more."  
  
"How interesting," Shiori commented, standing in the center of the room, her hands clasped demurely before her lavender-clad form.  
  
"He did?" the pink-maned girl murmured out loud in wonder. (What had motivated him so? Did he do it for love of a friend, or was there a hidden agenda?) she mused, though her heart felt a bright ray of hope. Had friendship been what had lead to his decision, then he could very well be the one she was told to find by the mysterious violet-haired girl who tended the rose arbor protecting the magical sword of the champion of Love. To let go of power for the sake of the love one bore for another certainly seemed a deed in accord with a heart dedicated to the virtues of Amor.  
  
"Aye, he did," insisted Wakaba, ponytail swaying as she nodded her head in an affirmative gesture. "I heard it from the pages who had heard it from their master. Apparently Lords Touga, Kyouichi and Miki had a meeting in the Kaoru chieftain's office, and in seeing to it that they had enough refreshments to drink as they talked, the master of pages overheard them discussing Lord Kyouichi's new status as an independent prince. It sounds like there may be trouble coming to the highlands this summer."  
  
"Trouble? What sort of trouble?" asked the other servant, her violet gaze flicking to settle on Wakaba.  
  
"Sounds like one of the clans could be wanting to go to war," the brown-eyed brunette replied, frowning slightly. "I didn't get to find out more about that, only that Lord Miki's hoping to get aid from both the Saionji and the Kiryuu against this other clan."  
  
"I don't like the sound of that at all," Utena commented, frowning as well. Glancing over her shoulder to see the last of the orb of the sun slip away below the wooded ridge defining the western horizon, she gracefully rose to her feet. "Perhaps I should question Lord Touga about those matters? However, the evening meal will be soon. We should make ourselves presentable."  
  
"As you wish, m'lady," the two handmaidens answered in unison.  
________________  
  
The sounds of jovial conversation and soft music swirled around Utena while she sat there at the high table in the Great Hall of Kaoru Keep. Nibbling on the marzipan that have been served -- along with candied fruit -- as the final course of the evening meal, she let her azure gaze wander over the large room once more.  
  
Unlike the other two fortresses she had visited so far that week, this cavernous room wasn't situated within the fortified tower that served as the final refuge for the defenders. Instead, the Great Hall took up two-thirds of a long, thatched-roof outbuilding constructed up against the inside surface of the stone curtain wall that surrounded the castle's bailey. Behind her, the wooden wall that was covered with brightly-colored tapestries acted as a partition between the hall and the kitchen; all throughout the meal, she had been aware of the servants coming and going through a door in that same wall far to the left of the high table. More tapestries, silken banners joining their ranks, hung from the smoke-darkened oaken timbers that supported the roof, and the walls to the left and across the hall were also fashioned from the same sturdy wooden construction. Only the wall to Utena's right was different; it was composed of the blocks of granite that formed the protective barrier between the outside world and the stronghold within.  
  
The people that graced the tables below the salt were very much like those other highland clanmembers she'd already seen. Their garb and appearance gave confirmation to her earlier assessment that this clan was somewhere between the wealth and plenty of the Kiryuu and the poverty and destitution of the Saionji. The atmosphere of the Great Hall and the tone of their conversations was in the middle as well, not as full of open gaiety as her first night among the highlanders nor as sullen as her second night.  
  
The fare had been simple but delicious, just what she had expected from a household of the Kaoru clan's means at the beginning of springtime. While musicians had played soothing tunes, the conversation at the high table had focused on the trio of chieftains comparing notes on how well each had survived what had sounded to be a harsh winter, swapping stories of strange or funny happenings to their clanmembers during the cold season, and talking about the possibility of an upcoming conflict. Dominating the talk had been the Kaoru chieftain, a grizzled-looking warrior with silver streaking his violet-blue hair, his sapphire eyes those of a man who had seen many harsh things. He was a startling contrast to his youthful son; Miki, though he looked much like what his father must have in the past, still had the bloom of innocence that somehow made his intelligence seem more a special thing. The Kaoru prince, though seemingly equally intelligent to Utena's observation, had more of the air of a knowledge born from experience rather than innate ability.  
  
The blue-haired chieftain had sat in his customary spot in the middle of the high table, his distant but commanding presence the center of attention among the nobles seated there. In accordance with his wishes, Saionji had been placed to his right, in the seat of honor, with Kozue seated just to the right of him. As the Kaoru heir, Miki had been given the seat to his father's left, with Touga allowed the seat to the left of the azure-haired boy. As for herself, Utena was seated to the Red Tyger's left; though not a favorable one as far as honor went, it still gave her a good vantage point from which to observe the others while they all ate.  
  
That their much older host was the driving force behind what conversation there was seemed to bother the other two chieftains little if at all. For Saionji's part, he was apparently having too much of a good time enjoying his newfound freedom; for the first time since she had set eyes on him this visit, the verdant-maned lord seemed relaxed and happy, his defenses down. That Kozue spent her time coyly flirting with her dinner companion probably only added to his feelings of good will. And Touga . . . To the rose-haired maiden's watchful eye, he appeared to be the most gracious of guests, letting the host decide on the topic to discuss and offering his opinions when appropriate. Miki kept silent more often than not as his father spoke, seemingly reluctant to voice his own opinion on things, and the rose-haired girl was more interested in watching than talking through supper.  
  
Admittedly, as dinner wore on, Utena found her patience strained by a couple of things. The first was Kozue; the slender princess seemed to be playing the precocious flirt a bit too strongly, taking nearly every opportunity to let the handsome lord sitting next to her know that she was apparently quite interested in him. From the tone of some of the discussion, the pink-haired girl deduced that Saionji was debating on arranging a marriage with the seemingly demure girl sitting at his side. Something about her made Utena think that such an alliance -- though politically probably rather sound -- would be a personal disaster for the curly-haired chieftain.  
  
The second thing was the continued talk of perhaps future hostilities as spring advanced into summer. It had long been known among the royal court of Utena's home kingdom that Lord Akio Ohtori was a prince of great ambition. That it seemed as if he were preparing to go on the march bothered her, striking some deep chord within herself that such hostility could be disastrous for those who would stand against him. The thought of any of them sitting there that night -- the Kaoru chieftain, his young son, the newly-independent Saionji -- could meet a violent end in a battle not of their making sent an ill feeling sweeping over her. Even more intense yet was the sensation that filled her at any thought of the elegant lord sitting next to her being wounded -- or worse. Still, she understood the need for such discussions and plans as the trio of chieftains talked over various strategies to deal with the possible threat. Someone had to defend those Akio would rob of their freedom, and as his closest neighbors, the Kaoru, Saionji and Kiryuu would more than likely bear the brunt of any attempt the Ebon Phoenix would make.  
  
The serving wenches -- comely maidens who were part of the household's kitchen staff -- were wandering about the Great hall, some flirting with those sitting there at the sturdy wooden tables, gathering up the final remains of the meal just past when the Kaoru chieftain turned his attention to his heir. "Miki, if you please, play a song for us."  
  
"As you wish, Father," the azure-haired boy responded. Pushing back his chair, the youth in question rose from the high table, then strode over to where the musicians were taking a rest between songs. The rose-haired girl's gaze followed Miki curiously as he perched himself upon a three-legged stool behind an impressive harp. Closing bright blue eyes while resting his hands upon the strings, the Kaoru heir leaned against the gilded wooden frame of the instrument and slipped into that tranquil stillness that always surrounded him when he performed.  
  
The first strains were lovely, the melody one that seemed to speak of the memories of long ago. The youthful noble's fingers were nimble upon the strings -- caressing here, plucking strongly there -- bringing to life a musical piece that brought to mind a sunlight-dappled garden.  
  
The whole of the hall listened in rapt silence as Miki played through the pleasantly haunting piece. Finishing the song with an almost extravagant flourish, the Kaoru heir sat quietly, hands still poised over the harp's strings. Applause and cheers greeted him then; opening his eyes, the blue-haired youth smiled at the accolade.  
  
"Well played, Son," the grizzled chieftain praised, raising his golden goblet in a salute to his boy's talent.  
  
"Thank you, Father," Miki replied, cheeks taking on a faint flush.  
  
Next to the green-haired lord, Kozue sat in silence, sapphire eyes narrowed ever so slightly while the applause for her twin continued.  
  
"Now then," the Kaoru prince said, standing to get everyone's attention. "Servants, remove the tables to rest against the walls. Musicians, play into the night. 'Tis an evening for a celebration -- "  
  
On the far side of the huge room, the massive double doors opened, a herald dressed in the tabard bearing the coat of arms of Clan Kaoru entering the Great Hall. Striding quickly forward, the newcomer crossed the length of the chamber while the grizzled veteran of many a knightly battle began his impromptu speech.  
  
Noting the herald's approach, the Kaoru chieftain fell silent, motioning to the blond youth to come forward to deliver his message.  
  
"What now, I wonder?" Touga softly murmured, cobalt-blue eyes focused upon the tabard-shrouded youth.  
  
Catching her companion's words, Utena questioned him while sliding her aqua-hued gaze to the scarlet-maned lord's noble visage. "What do you think it could be?"  
  
The golden-haired messenger reached the high table before Touga could form a reply. Curious as to what the message could be, he remained silent in order to overhear better the youth's words.  
  
"M'lord, Lord Souji, prince of Clan Nemuro, has arrived at the gates and requests to be let in to enjoy the hospitality of which he was invited to partake," the herald announced, his voice low so that only the lord of the stronghold -- and those sitting near him at the high table -- could hear. "He further apologizes for the lateness of the hour, but he was unavoidably detained."  
  
Next to the Kaoru chieftain, Saionji sat up straighter in mild astonishment. (What the devil is the Honorable Shadow doing here?) he wondered, violet eyes staring at the at the messenger garbed in blue and white. Unseen by the verdant-maned lord, the lady at his right had, for a fleeting instant, a look of surprise equal to Saionji's. Then Kozue's expression changed to one of calculated satisfaction before she once again donned the mask of a demure princess.  
  
"Ah, excellent," the Kaoru ruler responded, looking quite pleased at the news. "I had expected him to not make an appearance at all, considering his lack of a reply." Nodding to the herald, the grizzled veteran continued, "Go, Jiro, and tell the porter that Lord Souji is most welcome and to open the gates for the Honorable Shadow."  
  
Hiding his astonishment behind the act of taking a long draught from his golden cup, Touga couldn't help but wonder what exactly was happening. Clan Nemuro held power over a large section of the rugged western coastlands and were well known to keep to themselves, never siding completely in any of the struggles for dominance over all the highland clans but adhering to a neutral position. Easily a rival in wealth and power to the Kiryuu, the Arisugawa and the Ohtori, the Nemuro were rarely seen beyond the borders of their influence. In fact, Touga couldn't recall a single time he'd seen the Honorable Shadow, though he was well aware of Lord Souji's presence off to the west; all he knew about the man were rumors, whispers of a brilliant intellect but cold and distant emotions, of plotting strategy for reasons known only to him while remaining skulking about the lands of his demesne.  
  
The golden-haired messenger hastily sketched a bow, then turned and hurried out the same direction from whence he had come. Recalling the beautiful rose's question, Touga leaned toward her and murmured, "I have little clue what this could be about save that perhaps the Honorable Shadow regards the Ohtori as a threat also."  
  
On the other side of the very happy-looking Kaoru chieftain, Saionji moved closer to Kozue. In a celebratory mood -- after years of longing on a wish he never truly hoped he'd achieve, he and his were once again numbered among the sovereign coronets of the highlands -- he had imbibed quite a bit of the fine wine served with supper. Perhaps a bit too much, some part of him admitted; he was certainly feeling the effects, but he felt too good to care. And the violet-blue haired lady certainly seemed to be personally interested in the alliance he hoped to make. Though he knew that any marriage he contracted would be for what he could get out of the alliance in wealth and power, the idea that it could be more than purely political appealed to him. "Any idea why the Honorable Shadow has appeared at your father's gates, Lady Kozue?" he asked, using his query as an excuse to rest a hand over hers.  
  
The princess lowered her gaze, her cheeks pinking in the very image of a demure maiden. Underneath her long lashes, however, her eyes remained alight with a calculating glimmer deep within their sapphire depths. Letting her hand remain under his, Kozue replied, "Father invited him here to discuss the situation developing with Clan Ohtori just as he asked you to travel here."  
  
Saionji frowned faintly, a faint sense of trespass washing over him. Merely making a noncommittal grunt as a response, he picked up his goblet with his free hand and took another drink of the slightly sweet wine. Well, no matter that. The girl had certainly showed interest in him.  
  
Utena merely nodded at her companion's words, aquamarine gaze focused on the doors opposite the high table. Having heard a few rumors about the mysterious ruler of Clan Nemuro -- of how he was cold of heart and sly of mind -- she was more than slightly curious as to what his true appearance would be.  
  
Her vigilance was soon rewarded. The whole of the conversations going on within the Great Hall fell into an awed silence as the herald returned and announced, as was the custom, the presence of a visitor of royal blood. "Your Lordship, the Honorable Shadow, Lord Souji, prince of the Nemuro!" The blond messenger then stepped aside, allowing the one announced to stride through the now-unblocked doorway.  
  
All eyes were upon him, though to the elegant lord dressed in comfortable garb in black, white and silver, it mattered little at all. Clad in black boots, white trews, a white undertunic showing from underneath a black velvet tunic decorated with silver embroidery in a pattern of roses, Souji made quite the somber image -- especially with the nearly expressionless visage he had as dark brown eyes scanned over the people there in the large room. Let them gawk; they certainly were of no consequence. Pausing a couple of strides into the Great Hall, the Nemuro prince glanced back over his shoulder to make sure his beloved squire was following.  
  
Utena blinked, startled, while Touga raised scarlet eyebrows in curiosity then turned his cobalt-blue gaze to look at the lovely maiden sitting next to him. No, it wasn't his imagination; Lord Souji held a striking similarity to Lady Utena's appearance, down to the very same shade of rose-pink hair. Having seen her in her masculine attire during the day, the Kiryuu chieftain was even more aware of how the Honorable Shadow's visage was a manlier version of her own. "A cousin of yours, perhaps?" he asked the woman sitting next to him, his voice soft.   
  
"I -- I don't know," the elegantly-clad noblewoman replied, still staring at the young lord across the hall. Other than his eyes being deep brown with a hint of rose-pink hue, and his silken mane being straight and cut short to lay no longer than the nape of his neck, he truly looked as if he could be her sibling. Her parents had been killed while on their way to some destination in the highlands. Could they have been going to visit the Nemuro?  
  
A figure came through the doorway on the heels of the sable-clad nobleman. Shorter than his knight, slender and pretty -- to the point of being effeminate, Saionji noted with a bit of a scowl -- the dusky-skinned boy was an intriguing contrast to his master. Furthermore, the way the pink-haired noble gazed at his companion made Saionji wonder about what sort of relationship they may have. Large emerald-green eyes glanced about his surroundings, his short curly mane of pale lavender hair and rose-red garb accented in gold made him a brighter image than did the nobleman at his side. Like the other, the apparent squire carried himself in the manner of the nobility; more than likely he was of royal blood himself.  
  
Another puzzle to mull upon, Touga decided. The pretty youth trailing along after the Honorable Shadow bore as strong a resemblance to Lord Akio as his master bore to Lady Utena. Perhaps a cousin or some such there as well, though that idea made the Red Tyger wonder if somehow the Ohtori had managed to come to some sort of alliance with Lord Souji of which no one had been aware. Regardless, it seemed -- from what little Touga had seen of the two so far -- that the effeminate squire was the only thing that made the Nemuro chieftain's face take on an expression of any sort.  
  
The warm smile lingering, Souji gave his companion a gesture that was both one of encouragement and a command to continue following him. His attention turning back to those seated at the high table, the pink-haired chieftain strode the rest of the way, coming to a halt before the Kaoru prince. The bow he gave was a slight one, one of a superior greeting someone of a lesser rank; Saionji's violet gaze slid over to watch a faintly insulted expression flicker over his host's face for just an instant, his attention caught by a barely-voiced sound of disapproval. The verdant-maned prince had to agree with the other's feeling of being upset. They were all sovereign princes here, thus they should be regarded as one another's equal no matter the wealth or temporal might they wielded.  
  
Touga as well caught the attitude of the greeting. His thin lips pressing together, he noted that the Honorable Shadow seemed to be of a mind that any appearance should be regarded as a favor a superior had stooped to perform out of whatever sense of kindness he may have had. The Kiryuu chieftain also noted that despite the fact Lord Souji had certainly seen the others seated there above the salt, the sight had apparently evoked no reaction at all upon the young nobleman's handsome face.  
  
"Welcome to my abode, Honorable Shadow," the Kaoru ruler said, returning the bow of respect. "You honor us with your presence."  
  
"I thank you for your hospitality," the rose-haired chieftain responded, his mellow voice sounding almost as flat as his expression. The only time his face even lit up with an emotion at all was when he turned slightly to draw forward his shorter companion. "As does my squire, Mamiya." In response, the pretty boy flushed slightly and bowed as well, his one of an underling to a superior.  
  
"If I may, I'd like to speak with you in private -- "  
  
"Only so long as my squire can accompany me," Souji insisted, interrupting the other chieftain. The tone of his voice left no doubt that he would refuse any conversation that didn't allow his companion to share in on it.  
  
The grizzled azure-haired nobleman momentarily frowned, a look that was swiftly gone. Once again taking on a warm smile, he nodded, "Of course, of course, my lord. Never would I deny the presence of one's own squire."  
  
"I'm pleased you see it that way," the sable-clad man replied, dark-brown eyes as cold as ever. "Then I shall be happy to speak with you in the manner indicated."  
  
""A moment then, if it pleases my lord," the Kaoru chieftain said. Turning his attention back to the people still there within the Great Hall, he raised his voice for all to hear. "Continue on, my people. Push the tables to the side and start in with the celebration." Flicking his gaze over to where his son continued to sit behind the golden harp, he added, "Miki, if you will, play with the musicians as they perform the dances." Noting the young lord's nod of acknowledgment, the Kaoru ruler then gestured to his newest guest. "If you and your squire would kindly follow me?"  
  
"Lead on," Souji responded. While the older chieftain stepped back from the table and then walked down the length of it, the pink-haired nobleman matched his pace, striding along the table on the other side with the red-clad boy following in his wake.  
  
"Interesting, that," softly mused the scarlet-haired chieftain, his azure gaze focused upon the retreating lords. "I wonder what he's up to?"  
  
"It seems a bit odd," Utena replied, staring after them as well while the trio disappeared. "Though I'm certain it has something to do with the possible aggression from Clan Ohtori."  
  
"As am I," Touga replied. "Though I was somewhat certain Clan Nemuro would remain as aloof as always, taking neither side. Now, I'm not so certain."  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"The squire, Mamiya. Did you not see the resemblance?" the redheaded chieftain asked.  
  
The rose-haired maiden nodded slightly. Of course she had noticed; the similarities were too striking. Having seen Akio Ohtori on a few occasions in the court of her home kingdom, she had realized that were the elegant lord's hair shorter and his emerald eyes larger and his visage as she remembered it more youthful, then he would look as if he were Mamiya's identical twin. "'Tis uncanny, I do admit, but I was unaware of the Phoenix having any brothers."  
  
"Far as I know, he does not. However, that doesn't preclude some sort of relation -- perhaps a nephew or a cousin," Touga pointed out. "And it may mean that the Honorable Shadow is allied somehow with Ohtori."  
  
"If that's the case, then things may be rather grim if Lord Akio does decide to act as you fear." Utena frowned, that uneasy feeling washing over her again. Somehow, she just *knew* that anyone getting in the Phoenix's way would be swept aside, broken and shattered. The very thought of the man sitting next to her so destroyed made a cold shiver crawl down her spine. Suddenly, the night seemed not so festive.  
  
With the sounds of shouted directions, loud conversation and the scraping of wood against the rush-strewn floor, the servants and clanmembers hastened to do as their chieftain had bidden. As the people dispersed into small knots still carrying on their discussions and debates, the household staff cleared the Great Hall of the oaken trestle tables and their accompanying benches. Next to their place near the enormous fireplace, the musicians struck up a lively tune as background music to the clearing of the floor, the young azure-haired noble strumming away on the large harp. The moment the final table was in place, leaning up against a tapestry-adorned wall, the performers brought their current tune to a halt, then started up one that everyone recognized as an energetic dance.  
  
People began to pair up to take part in the dance; with a scrape of chair against dais, Saionji rose and escorted the still demure-appearing Kozue from the oaken platform to the rush-covered floor. Noting the other chieftain's departure, Utena half-expected her scarlet-haired companion to ask her to dance as well. When he did nothing but remain in his seat and take another sip from his goblet, she gave him a sidelong glance and took a drink from her own cup of wine. Was he not interested in such an interaction after all, or was he just waiting for her to show an interest in dancing before offering to partner her? Considering her reactions to his advances and his promise to no longer make her uncomfortable, the rose-haired maiden was of the mind that he was simply waiting for her to show her own willingness first. Aquamarine eyes settling on the stately form of Lord Kyouichi beginning the steps of the somewhat complicated dance with the violet-blue haired princess, Utena softly said, "You've done quite the deed, turning your foster brother loose of your coronet's control. It was all the talk among the servants this afternoon."  
  
"I can imagine," Touga replied, also watching his friend dance.  
  
"Most men would keep whatever power they had, and hold onto it tightly."  
  
"There are some things more important than power, even in this world where might and wealth mean so much," the redheaded chieftain responded.  
  
Utena nodded slightly. "So why did you release him from vassalage?"  
  
Touga slowly set down the goblet, though he kept his fingers curled around the smooth metal. Cobalt-blue gaze still fixed upon Saionji, he finally answered, "I missed my friend. Throughout my life, I've had servants and vassals galore, but only one person I could call 'friend'. So long as his father lived, then he and I could continue as we were."  
  
"And with him the prince now, it couldn't stay that way," Utena said, her voice filling the melancholy silence that had come between them. "You would have to push him into being a subordinate."  
  
"Precisely. Saionji deserves better," the Kiryuu chieftain remarked. Dark azure eyes narrowed slightly as Touga watched Kozue's casual flirting while she danced with the green-haired lord. Something about that girl . . . "He deserves much better," he muttered.  
  
"Lord Touga?"  
  
"Aye, my lady?"  
  
"Would you . . . dance with me, please?" the pink-haired girl finally asked, feeling her cheeks grow warm as she voiced the words.  
  
"It would be my pleasure, Lady Utena," Touga replied, a smile gracing his handsome face. Taking one of her hands in his, he rose from his seat and helped her to her feet. Taking her by the arm, he led her off the wooden dais upon which was bolted the high table.  
________________  
  
With a whispering sound, the cool night breeze rustled the greenery of the darkness-shrouded garden. Catching on rose-pink and scarlet-red hair alike, the wind playfully tossed the silken strands about. Sighing happily, Utena stared up into the star-speckled vault of the sky. The man next to her was solid, warm; this time she felt comfortable enough to lean against him, allowing him to hold her by the waist in a loose, one-armed embrace.  
  
They'd danced during a couple of tunes before some of the other men there in the Great Hall had approached and asked her to share a dance. Mindful that she should continue searching despite her current testing of the Kiryuu prince, Utena accepted a number of the requests. And through each performance of the stately steps, she found herself staring time and again at the dashingly handsome chieftain as he danced with others. In the end, she discovered a longing to once more be with him; taking the initiative, she had abandoned her latest partner, approached Touga and had yet again asked if he would dance with her -- this time under the stars.  
  
The smile he had given her then had been dazzling, one that sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. Out of the large double doors he had led her -- at some point during the celebration, the entryway had been tossed open and revelers had wandered out into the gardens that filled this part of the bailey -- and out into the night, far enough away for them to be essentially alone yet near enough they could hear the sweet strains of the musicians' melodies. Their dance had ended when the music had, and it had been then that Utena had leaned against her companion's strong body and had looked up at the stars.  
  
"I remember something . . ." the rose-haired maiden finally whispered, sea-blue eyes still staring up into the zenith of the night-time sky, this time at the white disk of the moon. The silvery light pooled around them, making the blooms and foliage of the garden take on innumerable shades of gray.   
  
"And that is?" Touga softly murmured in reply, free hand reaching up to brush aside the few strands of his hair the playful wind had tossed into his face. Lowering his head, he shifted his gaze to the delicate flower resting against him. He felt a warm sort of pleasure holding her in such a manner, a sensation unlike anything he'd experienced before. The sense of correctness he felt was unmatched, as if this was how things should always have been. Still, there was one thread of unease that imposed itself upon his awareness: somewhere along the line, Saionji had disappeared from the Great Hall. That Lady Kozue had also vanished from sight was the sole reason for Touga's disquiet; he knew that his friend could certainly take care of himself.  
  
"Someone telling me . . . something about the stars," whispered Utena. "And promising to show them to me."  
  
The scarlet-maned chieftain chuckled softly. How wonderful that a trace of that memory was now reachable to her, where before she had no recollection at all. "I'm certain you've seen them before, my lady."  
  
"Aye, I have, but . . ." She paused, her eyes shifting to focus upon the smiling face of the lord looking down at her.  
  
"But?" Long red hair slid forward as he lowered his head marginally.  
  
"It was if I'd never truly *seen* them before that night on the roof of your keep," Utena replied, staring up into the depths of his gorgeous blue eyes.  
  
Touga said nothing in response, content to merely gaze upon her lovely face there in the relative peace of the night-enshrouded garden. In fact, he could have sworn the beautiful maiden was rising to meet him when a sound caught his attention, tearing his focus away from her. Though standing within the bailey of a stronghold ruled by a sympathetic noble, the Red Tyger was too well-trained to ignore any unexpected noise that could signal approaching danger. Lifting his head, he narrowed dark azure eyes as he scanned their surroundings carefully.  
  
"What is it?" Utena whispered, blinking in surprise, realizing that her companion was searching for some object.  
  
"I thought I heard something," he answered, still looking about.  
  
(Like what?) the noblewoman wondered, glancing about and straining her ears to catch any sound. In the near distance, the sound of merriment and laughter accompanied by the music from within the Great Hall drifted to her on the night air. Then she heard something closer off to her left, like a scuffling foot on a gravel path.  
  
(There it is again,) Touga thought. Under his arm, he felt his companion stiffen, a sure indication that she had heard the sound also. Slipping his arm from around her, he gestured to her to remain in place before turning in the direction of the noise and stalking forward. Carefully stepping on the ground beneath, the Kiryuu prince moved silently up against a bushy hedge covered with delicate white flowers that almost glowed in the moonlight. The sound seemed to have come from the other side of the greenery; crouching down to peer through an area of fewer leaves, the redheaded nobleman tried to make out what could be seen on the other side.  
  
Just as he was bringing the sight into focus, he was aware of a warm, slender body pressed up against him -- one that practically shoved him aside. A glance out of the corner of his eye assured him that the person determined to share his spyhole was his rose-haired companion. Settling next to her in a manner that allowed them both to look at the same time, Touga turned his attention back to the scene on the other side of the hedge.  
  
It seemed to be a secluded spot for sitting, one of those many places within gardens where benches were placed for those to admire the beauty of the site. In the silvery illumination, Utena could make out a green grassy area, a stone bench along a gravel path, and even more of the white-flowered hedges bordering on the sides, though the way opposite was dark and apparently open to more of the garden -- and two figures sitting upon the bench. Aquamarine eyes opened wide as she recognized Lord Kyouichi and Lady Kozue sitting together; a blush crept to her face as she realized she was now close enough to hear the low sounds of their gentle moans and heavy breathing. The blue-haired princess was leaning against the raised back of the white marble bench, the tall form of the highland chieftain sprawled out half on the bench and half atop her. Scuff marks in the gravel, looking like dark holes in the moonlit-washed stones, gave evidence to the sounds that had caught her attention; Saionji had apparently dug a booted foot into the pathway to maintain his position.   
  
Next to her, she felt her scarlet-haired companion move slightly, an almost noiseless growl sounding deep in his throat. A swift glance showed a thunderous expression on Touga's face, though Utena was uncertain whether his anger was at his friend or at the lady Saionji was currently kissing.  
  
"So when will you tell your father that you insist on getting the details settled?" the verdant-maned prince asked, lips brushing up against the exposed skin of the girl's neck as he spoke.  
  
"Soon, my lord. Soon," Kozue breathlessly answered. She sat up slightly, only to have her companion gently kiss her full on the lips.  
  
"It had better be soon. I have another offer that I'll have to answer one way or another."  
  
"Well now," the Kaoru princess softly purred. "We shall have to see about that." Stroking a hand up along her companion's back and tangling her fingers in his wavy hair, she smiled up at him -- an expression that seemed to not reach her sapphire eyes. "What with Clan Ohtori perhaps going on the march -- "  
  
"I'm certain that together the Saionji and the Kaoru can beat back anything he throws at us," the nobleman replied. "Though I fear that the brunt of supplies will have to be purchased by your father. The winter just past was harsher on my folk than expected."  
  
"It was?" the maiden queried, the faintest of frowns crossing her moonlit face. "I had heard, but I had hoped they were but mere rumors of those jealous of the Saionji."  
  
"Unfortunately, it's the truth," Saionji reluctantly said, violet eyes staring down at the noblewoman in his arms. "But we shall recover, and this alliance will strengthen both of our clans."  
  
"I see," Kozue murmured, turning her head away from her suitor. When he returned to caressing her neck with his lips, she faintly purred.  
  
Pressed up against Touga as she was, Utena could feel the ripple of his muscles underneath the layers of clothing that separated them. Realizing that he was about to break cover and burst in upon the two lovers, she glanced off toward the clearing in the garden once more -- then suddenly thrust an arm out against the Red Tyger's chest in a gesture of restraint. Movement caught her eye across the grassy space; she choked back a gasp as a voice called out into the night.  
  
"Lady Kozue!"  
  
Apparently the lady in question recognized the voice even as the pair of noble spies did. The moment the shout was voiced -- it was obvious it was a call to locate her, not a cry of alarmed discovery -- the blue-haired maiden suddenly burst into a frenzy of activity, screaming out for help and beating the suddenly confused Saionji about the shoulders. Taken completely by surprise, the green-haired chieftain almost lost his balance and tumbled to the ground; in scrambling to avoid a fall, he ended up pressing hard against the flailing Kozue, pinning her down against the smooth marble seat.  
  
Rose-pink and pale-lavender hair -- both washed to nearly silver in the illumination of the moon -- were bright against the night sky as Lord Souji and his squire rushed into the clearing in response to Kozue's cries of alarm. As Mamiya hung back out of harm's way, the Nemuro prince grabbed hold of the still astounded Saionji by the scruff of his neck and yanked him off the struggling princess. Befuddled by the unexpected actions of the maiden and the alcohol consumed earlier, the Saionji chieftain landed hard on the ground, reactions too slow to either catch or defend himself. With a ring of steel, the Honorable Shadow drew his sword; the gleaming metal flashed in the light as he pressed the point against the fallen noble's chest. "You dare lay your hands on what the Kaoru chieftain wishes to be mine?"  
  
"Yours?" Saionji growled, violet eyes narrowing. "What the devil are you saying?" Glancing toward Kozue, it took nearly every scrap of will for him to not show the deep sense of betrayal he felt; the azure-haired maiden was wringing her hands together, putting on a very convincing act of being scared to death and almost raped. The growl of absolute rage was nearly feral in tone; abruptly lashing out with an arm, he caught the pink-haired noble's sword across the flat of the blade, shoving it away from him. Rolling swiftly in the same direction, Saionji felt a tug as some of his hair was pulled from his head; at his foe's movement, Souji had recovered from his surprise at the pushing away of his sword and had jabbed downward, the tip of the weapon pinning some of Saionji's wavy mane to the grassy ground. "Kozue! Tell him that's not true!" Saionji appealed to the girl in question, even as he scrambled to his feet and took a ready stance. Like most nobles visiting a friendly stronghold, his sword had been surrendered, held by the steward until such time as he departed the castle or was called to help defend it.  
  
"I swear to you, Lord Souji, that he tried to ravish me," Kozue responded, looking every inch the disheveled and frightened innocent.  
  
"That's enough of that," Touga muttered, rising to his feet. "I can't stay here and let them abuse Saionji so. The injustice . . ." A quick glance around allowed him to spot a narrow passage through the hedge further to the left. Grabbing his companion by the hand, the redheaded chieftain broke into a sprint, heading straight for the dark area in the lush greenery.  
  
Silent and deadly, the pink-haired nobleman closed the distance between himself and his foe, the blade making a glittering arc of silver in the moonlight as he swung. Hissing in consternation, Saionji jumped backwards, just out of the reach of the weapon. Armed only with a dagger, he was decidedly at a disadvantage; pulling his knife from the top of his boot, he gripped it firmly in hand as he was forced to dodge another stab by the other chieftain.  
  
Throwing an arm up to shield his face, Touga burst through the narrow passage; leaves and twigs alike scraped against him, tugging his hair, as he forced his way forward. The moment he was on the other side, he dropped his arm, let go of his hold on the rose-haired maiden's hand, then bellowed out a roar as fierce as any attributed to his nickname. "*Enough*!"  
  
All eyes turned to the furious chieftain, the Nemuro prince halting in mid-swing. Kozue remained looking utterly distressed, while next to her stood Mamiya, the pretty squire appearing downright frightened by the sudden appearance of the Kiryuu prince. And in the abrupt stillness of the moment came more sounds: shouts of alarm from others nearby.  
  
Stepping forward to stand at Touga's side, Utena looked around the clearing as the Kaoru chieftain -- accompanied by a large number of the household guard -- came running into secluded spot in the garden. In a matter of seconds, all of them there were surrounded, the grizzled veteran walking forward to assume command only to have his obviously upset and weeping daughter throw herself at him and hug him tightly. "Thank goodness you're here, Father! I was so scared!" Kozue sobbed, pressing her face against her sire's torso.  
  
"What in God's name is going on?" the Kaoru ruler demanded, his furious gaze sweeping over the group of nobles gathered there within his night-cloaked garden.  
  
"H -- he tried to *ravish* me, Father," the blue-haired girl cried, still clinging to her parent's clothing.  
  
"That's a lie!" Saionji protested, his shock at the whole matter swiftly turning to a well-concealed feeling of horror. "Lady Kozue!" he implored, purple eyes staring at the maiden.  
  
Souji coolly pointed at the verdant-maned chieftain with his still-bared blade. "In searching for your daughter as you bade me, I came upon these two in this spot. She was struggling and calling out for assistance while Lord Kyouichi held her down against the bench."  
  
"She was with me willingly, and I didn't do anything she didn't want," Saionji snapped in response.  
  
"Do you deny the Honorable Shadow's words?" the older, azure-maned lord demanded, piercing sapphire gaze setting upon the miscreant. Thank Heaven that the Nemuro prince had come upon the scene when he had; though the custom of Hospitality had been breached, his daughter still retained her honor.  
  
Saionji glared, getting the sense that he was as neatly trapped as an animal in a poacher's snare. "No, I cannot," he finally snarled, his low voice somewhat subdued. "However, what Lord Souji saw wasn't what it seemed. So astonished was I at your daughter's abrupt denial at what she was enjoying only a moment before, I nearly took a tumble from the bench. I caught myself, and it was in such a manner that the Honorable Shadow discovered us. Nevertheless, I *swear* I made no attempt at all to force myself upon your daughter."  
  
Brow furrowed in puzzlement, Utena glanced up at the still-angry lord at her side. That Touga had yet to collaborate his foster brother's story left her feeling anxious and disappointed. So elegantly had he spoken before on the virtue of Justice; would he now not step forward to see to it that justice was properly served?  
  
One look at his offspring's tear-stained cheeks and disheveled attire was all the Kaoru chieftain needed to make up his mind. "A likely story, Lord Kyouichi," he growled, eyes blazing with hatred. "How dare you come under my roof and then behave in such a dishonorable fashion, causing the peace of my hearth to be disturbed?"  
  
Just as the grizzled veteran drew in a breath to further berate the green-haired nobleman, Touga's low voice cut through the tense silence. "Before you continue in your hasty condemnation of the Saionji prince, my lord, let me just state the truth: your daughter is a liar, and a deceitful wench of loose morals."  
  
Nearly everyone surrounding the scarlet-maned ruler drew in a gasping breath, stunned by the prince's words. Kozue -- who had retreated to a position behind her imposing sire -- peered out from behind her shelter to give Touga a glare full of malice.  
  
"How dare you insult my daughter so with such slander?" roared the older nobleman. At his furious words, a number of the household guard took a step closer, apparently quite willing to carry out any orders their lord may give.  
  
"It's not slander when it's the truth," Touga calmly responded. "Lady Utena and I were fortunate enough to see what happened, seeing how we were gazing at the stars on the other side of the hedge and heard some noise. Peering through the brush, we saw Lord Kyouichi and Lady Kozue there -- and I can assure you, the lady was rather enjoying the attention she was receiving."  
  
"I was too scared to cry out, thinking I was all alone with that brute," the Kaoru princess replied, making sure her voice retained the quaver of one still recovering from a close call with danger.  
  
"And that's why you had your hands all over him, I'm sure," the Red Tyger said in return. "Until the moment you realized someone was looking for you. *Then* you suddenly raised the hue and cry, claiming that you were being taken by force. Of course, you had just heard how much poorer Lord Kyouichi was than you had expected."  
  
"Well, of course you'd come to that lecher's defense," Kozue huffed, still sheltered behind her father's body. "Everyone knows that he's your pet, that you took in your inferior and thought you could raise him to be an equal -- "  
  
"That will be enough of that," Touga coldly said, his very tone enough to make everyone fall silent again. "I would defend the Devil himself in these circumstances. This has nothing to do with who Saionji is and everything to do with your treatment of him. The injustice is astounding, my lady."  
  
"You think it's injustice, Lord Touga?" the younger Kaoru twin challenged. "You think you know the truth? I dare you to prove it."  
  
For a tense moment, quiet reigned over the moonlit garden. Finally, the Kiryuu prince replied, "Very well. Tomorrow, when the sun is at its zenith, your champion and I shall meet in the fields outside of the keep. We shall let God decide the truth of the matter through the test of arms."  
  
"I shall champion the lady's honor," said a voice. In the midst of the sudden eruption of murmurs, Souji stepped forward, dark brown eyes focused upon the redheaded prince.  
  
"Already insisting upon your claim?" Saionji growled.  
  
"A prudent matter, you must agree. After all, I do take care of my own," the Honorable Shadow replied. "As standing in for the challenged, it becomes my right to set the terms."  
  
"Of course," Touga smoothly acknowledged with a nod.  
  
"Swords, on foot, no armor, until first blood," the pink-haired prince said.  
  
"Accepted. We shall meet at noon then to decide this matter."  
  
Utena swallowed hard, nervous for the gorgeous nobleman continuing to coolly stare at the seemingly emotionless Lord Souji. In order for justice to be served, he would have to win the challenge; should he prevail, then all would have to accept that he spoke the truth. Saionji would be exonerated, and Kozue would be rightfully scorned for her actions. And should he win the contest of arms, he would prove that he had a strong enough sense of Justice to be the champion she sought.  
  
She just wasn't certain she could be that patient after all. 


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine  
  
Quiet reigned over the scene. A soft breeze swirled over the emerald blades of the field's vegetation, ruffling it as it did the silken hair and brightly-colored cloth of those gathered there. The noontime sun shown down on the nobles, peeking through broken clouds racing across the cerulean sky.  
  
Eyes the color of the sea glanced about, taking in the details of the moment. Two figures stood -- relaxed and poised -- in the center of the loose ring of onlookers. Elegant and enigmatic, the pair of chieftains faced one another, their foci each centered upon their opponent.  
  
Around them -- near enough to observe clearly but far enough away to give them room to duel -- were arranged the witnesses to the solemn event: the Kaoru prince, his twin offspring, the rose-haired maiden once more attired in her boyish clothing, the wide-eyed and pretty squire, and the verdant-maned noble whose honor was in question. More than likely there were other observers; situated as they were upon the grassy fields overlooked by the stronghold, anyone up on the ramparts of the keep or on the outskirts of the village would be privy to the encounter.  
  
(He should win,) Utena reminded herself. (The truth is on his side.) Even so, she could feel the rapid beat of her heart, nervousness filling her, as she kept her eyes focused upon the gallant Red Tyger.  
  
Garbed in scarlet, a shade complimenting the hue of his hair, Touga appeared as calm as always. His clothing was form-fitting -- knee-high boots of black leather, hose, an overtunic of padded brocade, the design stitched in silver thread on the ruby cloth -- and at a space a handspan above the neatly-trimmed ends, his long mane was gathered and tied with a red ribbon. Both attire and tie were concessions to the necessity of the moment. His longsword remained within the lacquered redwood embrace of its sheath, tucked between cloth and wide black-leather belt around his waist.  
  
Equally poised was his opponent. Dark brown eyes staring back, his sable and silver outfit similarly well-tailored to allow for the greatest freedom of movement, Souji kept his hand at his side, waiting. Longsword still in its black-lacquered wooden sheath, it would remain there until the decisive moment, when the two of them would draw and strike as fast as possible, the first one to shed blood proving his point.  
  
Controlling his breathing, using the familiar movements to keep himself focused, Touga continued to stare deep into his opponent's eyes. (You will lose, Shadow. You are defending the wrong side of this dispute . . .) Around them, the sunlight dimmed then brightened again as a passing cloud momentarily blocked the rays of the golden disk high above. (This is bigger than you . . . Greater than us both . . .  
  
(What do you see when you look upon me, Lord Souji? Someone maliciously slandering an innocent maiden to protect a friend? Someone threatening the integrity of something you hoped to gain in my stating of the truth? Could you even see me as someone only defending what I believe to be justice?  
  
(Justice . . . One of the virtues of Amor . . . Is this then another of the trials the champion must pass? Lady Utena's quest . . . How silly, I had first thought -- something fanciful and yet, she derives her inspiration from it. So real is it to her that it defines everything about her life. And I . . .  
  
(I've only played along . . . Used it as a path to try to win her . . .  
  
(But this . . . I'm not doing it for her, or for Saionji. This is for Justice. Virtue is what separates us from the animals; without it, there is no order, only instinct. There's already enough chaos in the world -- enough selfishness, enough hatred . . .  
  
(And you, Lord Souji . . . I see it in your eyes. You fight to protect the worth of your property. That's all she is to you, isn't she? A thing by which you can amass more objects. But that's not what I want . . .)  
  
Around the unmoving nobles, the silence hung heavily over the scene. Utena drew in shallow breaths, feeling like even that could be enough to shatter the moment and disturb the chieftains' concentration. Neither visage -- either the Red Tyger's or the Honorable Shadow's -- gave away any hint at all as to what was passing through their minds as they stared down one another.  
  
(I want . . .) Touga's blue eyes narrowed the slightest bit, his focus as sharp as the blade still housed within its delicately curved wooden scabbard. ( . . .an equal, not an object. A partner, not an easily crushed flower I must constantly keep from harm.) The light dimmed again as the shadow of a cloud scudded over the duelists standing as still as statues, brightening once more as the nimbus hurried on its way and the sun again bathed the knot of people in its golden rays. (I want to be an example of the best that humankind has to offer . . .)  
  
Rose-tinted brown eyes slid from his own cobalt-blue gaze; a hand burst into motion to grasp an intricately-wrapped hilt. Even as Touga reacted as swiftly as lightning, a silvery power seemed to suddenly flow through him. Past, present, future . . . A crystalline web of possibilities . . . A single argent star glowing in the blackness of utter chaos, holding back the nothingness . . . And he *knew*.  
  
Golden light flashed off metal as abruptly-bared weapons slashed through the air. Dropping his shoulder and pivoting away from that place where he'd watched his challenger focus dark brown eyes -- and waiting for the very last fraction of a second in which to move -- Touga expertly flicked his wrist during the well-controlled swing of his weapon. There was a slight tug, then the sensation of cool air and even colder metal against the top edge of his left shoulder -- but no pain.  
  
As suddenly as it had started, the duelists' movement stopped; both chieftains froze in place the moment they hit the end of their momentum. Souji remained in an extended position, one leg in front of the other, arms outstretched in a thrust, the top third of his longsword piercing through the scarlet and silver brocade of Touga's tunic. The Kiryuu prince as well had his legs braced apart, but his sword was pointed down, tip resting against the emerald grass of the field. Even as he watched the sly grin of triumph appear on the other's face, the expected bloom of red appeared, a striking contrast to the Nemuro chieftain's pale flesh.  
  
"Ha," Souji said, pulling his weapon back and out of Touga's clothing.  
  
"Look to your face before you claim victory," the redheaded nobleman responded.  
  
"Hmm?" For an instant, the Honorable Shadow's visage held an expression, one of puzzlement. Reaching up with his free hand, the pink-haired man wiped the back of it against a now-stinging cheek. Feeling wetness, he lowered his hand; his eyes grew slightly wider as the crimson blood smeared there registered in his mind. Then that was gone, his face once more taking on his normally blank countenance. Looking over at Touga, he demanded, "What of my strike?"  
  
Stillness settled over the scene once more, broken only by the slide and click of steel against wood as Touga resheathed his longsword before dropping the weapon to the ground. "Close, but not quite," he responded, fingers reaching up to nimbly unfasten his tunic. Stripping it off as well as removing the loose-fitting, white, blouse-like undertunic, his clothing made a bright spot against the verdant grass as he bared his torso for all to see.  
  
The rose-haired maiden could feel her cheeks taking on a heated blush as she stared wide-eyed at the Kiryuu prince's bare upper body. He was magnificent in conformation, everything in proportion and well-sculpted by years of training. Muscle rippled smoothly under light skin as he turned to show his opponent that his shoulder was unmarked; the weapon had been tilted slightly, the cutting edge angled to the point where all that had touched the Red Tyger was the flat of the blade.  
  
For a lingering moment, Souji merely stared at the other chieftain, expressionless as always, before bowing slightly. "Well fought, Lord Touga. You are a worthy opponent."  
  
"As are you." The scarlet-haired nobleman returned the gesture of respect before swooping down to retrieve both clothing and weapon.  
  
While the Honorable Shadow slid his own longsword back into its black scabbard, the Kaoru chieftain turned a disapproving glare first at his daughter -- Kozue at least had the grace to look horrified at the outcome, her face pale -- then at the still-scowling Saionji prince. "Lord Touga's witness has been proven true. Therefore, I must conclude that there's been no wrongdoing on your part." Despite his words, the tone of the grizzled warrior's voice left no doubt: the man was still in a cold rage over the entire incident and what it may do to his daughter's reputation.  
  
(A reputation already in question according to the rumors I've heard,) Touga silently remarked, looking from Kozue to her father and then back. Miki, however, evoked a sense of pity; the older Kaoru twin had a stunned expression on his innocent face, as if he couldn't quite believe his sister capable of such unsavory action. The Kiryuu prince frowned then, recalling his promise to the young lord. At the moment, considering how Saionji had been treated, Touga felt angry enough to just leave all of Clan Kaoru to the wolves.  
  
Saionji nodded at the older chieftain's words, grateful to have had the black mark against his honor cleared. Taking a moment to glare at the still-stunned Kozue -- an action that made a curl of disgust and rage both sit there in the pit of his stomach like a lump of molten lead -- he growled at the azure-haired princess, "I hope you find happiness in what you've wrought." He then turned away, walking back towards the keep, every bit as determined now to just go home and lick his wounds as he had been to arrive there at the Kaoru stronghold in the first place.  
  
"Saionji! Wait up!" the redheaded prince called out. "Let the two of us walk back with you." Worried about his friend -- after all, the entire situation was surely a blow to the green-haired lord's pride -- he wanted to reassure himself that Saionji would recover. Noting that his foster brother had stopped, the Red Tyger then turned and glanced back at his feminine companion. He waited long enough for Utena to catch up, then held out a hand to her; he echoed her smile when she wrapped her fingers around his. Together, they walked across the emerald field to return to the castle in Saionji's company.  
  
The trio remained in silence until they were halfway back to the massive gatehouse that protected the entrance to the bailey. Then the curly-maned chieftain came to a halt yet again, turning to stare back the way they had come.  
  
Stopping as well, Touga and Utena focused their gazes in the same direction. Still there at the site of the Kiryuu prince's victory, the three Kaoru were evidentially having some sort of discussion with the Nemuro chieftain, his pale-haired squire standing off a short distance away.  
  
"If he still wants her after all that, he deserves what he gets," Saionji muttered.  
  
"Certainly," the scarlet-maned lord readily agreed. Glancing sidelong at his friend, he queried, "Saionji, were you even aware of the rumors about her?"  
  
"Hrmph." The scowl on his face deepening, the violet-eyed prince spun back toward the stone tower and once more covered the ground with his long-legged stride. "They were just rumors," he finally added. Still more quiet followed; Utena carefully observed the interaction between the pair of men while Touga willingly gave his foster brother the opportunity to speak as he wished about the matter. "Sadly, I believed her when she acted as if she cared. Silly me, to think there could be something more than a marriage being purely political," Saionji continued after another long pause.  
  
"That kind only thinks about themselves. And marriage can be more than just politics," the other chieftain responded, "with the right woman -- if you're willing to put some work into it."  
  
More silence. Without even a glance around, Saionji stormed through the open gate in the middle of the fortifications overlooking the entrance to the bailey. How glad he would be to get out of this place and back home. Even as he walked among them, he could feel their eyes upon them, staring; he was well aware how swiftly news of a man's dishonor could spread among people. That Touga had proven the truth and had exonerated him meant little at the moment, since word of that had yet to be common knowledge. Once more he found himself among a crowd that looked at him with suspicion and dislike.  
  
Strangely enough, that made the verdant-maned chieftain's thoughts turn to the golden-haired girl who was his friend's younger sister. He'd seen Nanami give plenty of others looks similar to the ones he was now receiving from the Kaoru clanmembers; though he too had borne the brunt of her annoyance on a few occasions while they were growing up, never once had she looked upon him with the dark looks the other Kiryuu folk, or even his own people once he had returned to them, had tossed his way. However, the girl was fanatically devoted to her brother. No one in the entire world could live up to the shining image of Touga Nanami kept in her heart. "Your sister would scratch my eyes out," the Saionji prince muttered, "and she'd do worse to you if she wasn't so devoted to you in the first place."  
  
"She'll get over it, with the right man," Touga pointed out. "And she's very loyal to whomever has a place in her heart, as you're well aware."  
  
"Whatever makes you think I could be the right man?"  
  
"She knows you. And so do I. You're persistent when you set your mind to a goal, Saionji."  
  
"So I am, Touga. So I am."  
  
Another long halt in the conversation took place as the trio of nobles made their way through the keep's bailey. Around them, people stopped what they were doing to stare at the three of them -- the dishonored Saionji prince, the bare-chested Kiryuu chieftain, and the pretty maiden clad in boy's clothing -- and then whispered to one another sibilantly once the nobles had passed. Doing her best to ignore all the gawking they were getting from the Kaoru clanmembers, aware of the tenseness in Touga's gorgeous form and in his hold upon her hand, Utena swallowed nervously. She'd noticed the angry fire deep within his cobalt-hued eyes, knew what she must do next for the sake of her quest. Even so, the knowledge of what had to be done weighed heavily on her mind. "So what now, my lords?" she finally asked as they approached the stone tower that was the heart of the stronghold.  
  
"We get out of this accursed place," Saionji growled, answering.  
  
"We go home and negotiate a contract," Touga responded, glancing at his friend. "Isn't that right, Saionji?"  
  
"Aye."  
  
Utena momentarily pressed her lips together. While the verdant-maned chieftain's gruff voice sounded resigned, it was easy to tell that the other highlander was still furious over the incident involving Lady Kozue; Touga's voice held a tone that chilled her to the bone. Such anger could easily fester into something ugly. "My lord Touga," she began, only to come to a faltering stop as she searched for just the right words.  
  
"Aye?" he queried, blue gaze focused upon where he was walking; they were climbing the stone steps into the keep, Saionji in the lead and Utena trailing behind him, their hands no longer clasped in one another's light grip.  
  
"There's something I must ask you to do. It will be very difficult, given the circumstances -- more than likely the hardest thing I must ask of you to accomplish to prove your worth -- but I must make my request simply *because* it is not easily achieved."  
  
Touga frowned, abruptly coming to a halt. Turning to face her then looking down at the masculinely-attired girl, he felt an unexpected shiver of dread as he stared into her aqua-hued eyes. Noting her deadly serious and uncertain expression, he softly asked, "What is this thing, Lady Utena?"  
  
"You must forgive Lady Kozue."  
  
The redheaded prince stared down at her, thunderstruck. (*Forgive* her?) his stunned mind thought, unsure he had truly heard her correctly. "Forgive her?" he repeated aloud, the blood draining from his face.  
  
"Aye. The heart of the champion of Love must be able to forgive the sins of others," the rose-maned girl responded, continuing to meet his gaze.  
  
How could she ask that of him? Was she mad? "Saionji's reputation and honor both could have been ruined forever by Lady Kozue's machinations," the Kiryuu chieftain protested. "The friend dearest to my heart could have been utterly broken by what she did."  
  
Utena's cheeks flushed faintly red while she tore her sea-blue gaze away from the handsome highlander -- with him half-nude like that, he was certainly a distraction, and she felt uncomfortable staring at the confused and outraged expression in his eyes. "I'm aware of her sins, Lord Touga. But you must look to your own heart. The trials must go on." (Regardless of the convenience -- or the agony such a choice may evoke. I'm sorry . . .)  
  
Forgive her . . .? Turn the other cheek, acknowledging the fact that Kozue attempted to ruin his beloved foster brother yet not holding it against her? Look upon her and somehow not feel like wrapping his hands around her slender neck and slowly crushing the life from her? The scarlet-maned chieftain continued to stare down at the lovely maiden, his cobalt-blue eyes wide in shock, as he wrestled with his emotions. He had every right to hate the younger Kaoru twin for what was an unnecessarily vicious way of spurning Saionji, yet part of him realized that such a hatred ran contrary to that shining example he wished to be. Hatred drew to it pain and chaos as a lodestone drew iron; he needed only to look upon the aftermath of his clan's conflict with the Saionji for a confirmation of that.  
  
(It's appropriate to be angry, but to stay enraged would only fester like an infected wound . . . leaving hatred in its place,) Touga thought, feeling the ice-sharp edge of his rage abate somewhat. (And hatred tends to devour the heart it inhabits, leaving little room for more tender emotions . . .)  
  
The Kiryuu prince closed his eyes, turning his head to the right. His newfound desire to lead by example, to be all that was noble and right, struggled against the remains of his ire and his longing to see the one who had hurt Saionji suffer an equal amount. (Ah, but her lies have been shown for what they truly are, and she must deal with the consequences of her actions. There is . . . no more need to pursue it further.)  
  
And with those thoughts, he knew he could forgive her. There was no need to hold onto the potentially poisoning fury. Taking a deep breath, he held it for a moment then slowly exhaled, letting go of the anger as he forced the air out of his lungs. It was over and done; life would go on, as it should.  
  
Hearing the sound of his long exhale, Utena glanced back at the bare-chested highlander, then kept her fascinated gaze there as she watched the tension literally drain away from the lines of his gracefully muscular body. A nervous sense of hope quivered within her as she awaited the return of his deep azure gaze.  
  
It never came. Footsteps sounded above, then came a voice tinged with annoyance. "Are you coming along, or are you going to stand there for eternity, Touga?" Saionji grumbled, poking his head out of the doorway into the keep.  
  
"I'm coming," the redheaded nobleman replied, turning away and walking up the remaining steps as his friend disappeared through the arched entryway once more.  
  
The rose-haired girl softly sighed, her hope giving way to a sense of nervousness. Trailing along after the two chieftains, she did her best to have faith in the Kiryuu prince. He had come so far -- further than any of the others that had attempted to be what she sought -- but this could be the test that would break him. Somehow, he needed to have true forgiveness in his heart before he left Kaoru Keep. If he couldn't do that, then she would have to take her leave of him and begin looking elsewhere; it was a thought that made a deep sadness momentarily impose itself upon her.  
  
It was her fervent wish that it wouldn't come to that.  
________________  
  
All of the belongings they had taken with them had been packed away once more, secured in the saddlebags of their mounts. Most of their party was down below -- the servants and men at arms, as well as the still-fuming Saionji -- near the stables, holding the reins as they awaited the remaining stragglers. However, the Red Tyger paced along the hallways of the stone shell tower, his feminine companion silently following in his wake.  
  
She had disappeared for a short amount of time while Touga and his foster brother had gathered up their possessions from the guestroom and had gotten word to their warriors that they were leaving at the earliest possible convenience. That she had later reappeared with her handmaidens in tow to see how Saionji and he were faring made him think that she had left to gather up her own belongings. After dismissing Wakaba and Shiori to the stables to gather their palfreys, Utena had remained -- though the scarlet-maned lord had noted that she was quieter than usual. She had, however, asked how soon were they going to be leaving; Saionji had growled that it couldn't be quick enough to suit him. Though Touga hadn't remarked, he certainly understood the other chieftain's reaction. The green-haired prince had never been one that liked to stay around a place that made him think of negative things, and this had been the most potentially embarrassing thing he'd faced in his life.  
  
The boyishly-attired maiden had only nodded then had stood there silently as the two chieftains had finished gathering their things. While Saionji had stormed out, Touga had remained behind in the guestroom, thinking. Then he had left, Utena following a couple of paces behind.  
  
Why did Lady Kozue do it? That was the question that weighed upon the Red Tyger's thoughts. It was startling to have witnessed the change in her, he realized now that he was over the purely emotional reaction and had begun to analyze the incident. The whole of the matter rested on her intent, and he meant to discover just what it was she had had in mind since he couldn't deduce from her actions just what she had been trying to achieve. He was certainly willing to admit that there may have been good reason to act as she had done.  
  
Rounding a corner, he came to a halt when he saw a youthful figure approaching from the other direction. The light of the few torches illuminating the windowless corridor made azure highlights shimmer in the older Kaoru twin's short-cut hair. Catching sight of the older noble, Miki stopped as well, his gaze falling to the wooden floor and his expression becoming one of uncertainty. "I've heard that you and Lord Kyouichi are taking your leave."  
  
"Aye, that's true. Saionji's of a mind to get some distance between himself and this place," Touga gently admitted.  
  
"If I thought my apologies would do any good -- "  
  
"'Tis not your fault, Lord Miki. You are blameless."  
  
"Even so . . . I still cannot believe . . ." The wide-eyed youth shook his head, his voice fading away.  
  
"Have you any idea why your sister would be so inclined to make such a scene?" Touga asked.  
  
Another shake of his azure-haired head. "I'm mystified, actually. My twin can be quite headstrong and somewhat impulsive, but I really can't think of any reason why she would do such a thing," Miki responded. "However, Father's furious with her -- "  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"In her room, my lord. She's to stay there until Father gives her permission to leave it," the Kaoru heir responded, turning and gesturing down the hallway. "There's a guard there keeping watch over the door."  
  
Utena raised her eyebrows in surprise at the younger nobleman's revelation. So the princess was being punished, but for what? Under the circumstances, it could be for any number of reasons.  
  
"Would it be possible to allow me to talk to her for a short while before I take my leave?" Touga queried.  
  
"I don't know . . ." Miki answered, appearing even more uncertain. It was obvious that he didn't want the Red Tyger to leave in anger, but he also probably didn't wish to incur the wrath of his sire as well.  
  
"She can remain in her room and I shall remain in the hallway. With Lady Utena and you watching, I'm certain nothing untoward could happen," the Kiryuu prince said. Noting the other nobleman's hesitation, he added, "Please, Lord Miki? I just wish to discover what her motivation was."  
  
After a lingering pause, the blue-haired youth finally nodded. "All right. I can't see the harm in asking her that." Turning, he started down the hallway, adding, "Follow me then, if it pleases my lord."  
  
Deeper into the private quarters in the center of the keep they walked, the youth leading the way. Coming to an ironbound door before which sat a burly-looking warrior on a sturdy wooden chair, Miki focused his azure gaze on the man. "Leave us, Issei."  
  
"But my lord -- " the brunette man began to protest, only to be halted by the upraised hand of the Kaoru heir.  
  
"I wish to speak with my sister, in private. Should she leave her room, I'll take responsibility for it."  
  
Issei frowned, not liking the situation. However, he stood up when it became obvious that his lord's heir wasn't going to back down from his demand. Bowing respectfully to the young noble, the muscular warrior walked away -- though only far enough to be out of earshot but not out of sight, Touga noted. The Kiryuu prince nodded slightly in satisfaction; the man took his job seriously, which was always a good quality.  
  
Slipping a hand into a black leather pouch attached to the belt around his slim waist, Miki produced an iron key and put it into the lock on the door. Giving it a twist then pushing the oaken door open, he called out, "Kozue?"  
  
"What is it?" came the reply; the Kaoru princess's voice sounded both subdued and suspicious. Behind the shorter lord, Touga settled into a relaxed stance, clearing away any lingering anger. To be fair to the girl, he needed to hear what answers she would give with an open mind.  
  
"Lord Touga's here," Miki said in answer to his sister's question. "He wants to speak with you."  
  
"Tell him to go away," Kozue snapped. "I don't want to speak with anyone."  
  
"Please, Kozue. He just wants to know why -- "  
  
The door abruptly opened further, apparently yanked from the other side. Loosing his grip on the knob, Miki stumbled into the room a step but swiftly recovered his balance. Before him, her hand on the other side of the knob, stood his twin; though her face was cold, with an expression of pure annoyance, Utena noted that there was some evidence that the princess had been crying earlier. From what little she had observed of Kozue, it was quite likely that the other girl had only shed tears in the privacy of her room; the Lady Kozue standing there now was every bit the one that had seemed callous and in control. "Why? I'm certain you already know the reason." Sapphire eyes glared at the elegant, redheaded noble. "So you're just wasting your time." She started to close the door, only to have her brother remain in the way.  
  
"Actually, my lady, I truly don't know why," Touga admitted. "Hence my seeking you out to ask it of you."  
  
Kozue turned her angry gaze to her twin, her expression clearly showing her annoyance. "Miki, get out of the way," she demanded, then glanced back at the waiting chieftain. "I did it just to spite your friend, since that's the kind of person I am. A wild beast . . ."  
  
Something about her response didn't sit right. Cobalt-blue eyes narrowing slightly, Touga looked the girl over. Though she insisted that she did it out of malice, he somehow knew that it was a lie, that she was saying only what she thought he wanted to hear.  
  
"Kozue!" Miki protested, still keeping himself against the door so that his twin couldn't shut it on them.  
  
"Well, it's the truth. It's what everyone's saying," the young noblewoman replied.  
  
"Just because everyone says it doesn't mean that it is the truth," Touga said. "Lady Kozue, truly, why did you feel the need to make such a scene? You risked much in doing so . . ."  
  
The violet-blue haired princess stopped trying to shove the door shut against her brother, then slowly looked up at the Kiryuu prince. "I know what I risked," she softly replied. "But I would do it again."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You know him. You grew up with him," Kozue answered, turning loose of her hold on the door and taking a step back. "He can be . . . overwhelming, obsessive. It's frightening at times, even though at others, it's flattering." She sighed, her gaze sliding to the floor as she shook her head. "And I, being a princess, am forced to be a pawn in the games of others . . ." She stopped, folding her arms over her chest, still staring at the floor.  
  
"Go on," the scarlet-haired chieftain gently prodded when she didn't continue her words on her own.  
  
"Father's frightened. He has been ever since we began getting word that the Ohtori could be making ready for war. You know we're a clan of modest means; against the Phoenix's might, we may not be able to stand were we on our own. So he looked to form an alliance, using me as the prize." Kozue shook her head slightly, her frustration evident.  
  
"Father bypassed you, Lord Touga, because he fears that any alliance to you would result in our clan becoming subordinate to you," Miki added, his own voice soft. "He thinks you are very much your father's son."  
  
A frown settled on Touga's face as he listened to the twins. Granted, he had spent much of his time as chieftain consolidating what he already had, so he could understand the assumptions his neighbors could have about him. Given what he knew of politics and of the people involved, he said, "Your father invited both Saionji and Lord Souji at the same time, did he not?"  
  
"Aye," Kozue replied. "Though he made it very clear he'd prefer Lord Souji over Lord Kyouichi because the former would be not only more powerful and wealthy, but also a coup, given how neutral the Nemuro have traditionally been. When only your friend responded, I was expected to do my best -- and I did." She shrugged helplessly, one of the few times her brother ever saw her looking so vulnerable. "He saw me as a way out, a means to getting some sort of independence from you. And that idea became almost everything to him. He talked often about how he would do this or that once we were wed and he and Father were allies, so much so that at times I was bothered by his fixation on the matter. When I hinted that Father may find what he considered a better alliance, he grew angry enough that I was scared -- though I didn't let him see my fright."  
  
The frown on Touga's face deepened. This certainly had the ring of truth to it; he knew exactly what she meant as she talked about Saionji, for he had seen that those same traits in his friend before. "And then tonight, Lord Souji finally arrived in answer to your father's summons . . ."  
  
"Aye, and I could see the way Father looked at him that he truly would rather make that alliance than the one he considered second-best." She paused, then finally looked up at the tall, redheaded lord. "I didn't think I could just tell him that the alliance wouldn't be made after all. He wouldn't believe it, and he could cause grief to those I hold dear as he insisted on his rights. If Father manages to actually strike up a deal with Lord Souji, I feared that Lord Kyouichi wouldn't step back and gracefully admit defeat. He already acted as if he owned me . . ."  
  
"And so you acted out in desperation, setting up a situation where you knew you'd be free of him no matter the cost, because he would no longer want you?" Touga asked, his expression compassionate. It made sense; given Saionji's temperament and his personality, the Kiryuu prince could easily see how Kozue could have felt trapped in a situation not of her making. Had Saionji truly had made up his mind that Kozue was *his*, then yes, he certainly would be nearly impossible if her father decided to give her to someone else.  
  
"The weapons we noblewomen have are very limited, Lord Touga," Kozue replied. "We are shuffled about as prizes, objects given to other men in return for wealth or power. It's my duty to do as my father pleases. If that means stooping to dishonorable means, well . . ." She shrugged, the icy façade settling over her once more. "You know that it's stated that women have no honor, though the ones that try to act in an honorable way are to be prized above others. If we should be *dishonorable*, then we are only being female."  
  
The scarlet-maned lord felt sorry for her. In that moment, he could see her truly as a person, caught in circumstances beyond her control yet struggling to do her best to meet everyone's expectations. The incident certainly achieved what she wanted -- at this point in time, Saionji wanted nothing at all to do with her -- but at what cost, she probably still didn't know. Touga's own accusation, the victory of the duel proving the truth of it, could jeopardize the alliance her father actually hoped to make -- which more than likely explained why she was confined to her room until further notice. Her father was waiting to see what Lord Souji's reaction would be to the incident as well. "Thank you, Lady Kozue," he gently said, nodding his head slightly. "I understand now why you did as you had."  
  
"Good," she replied, her sapphire gaze turning to glare at her brother. "Now go and leave me to face the consequences."  
  
Touga nodded, taking a step back. "I forgive you for what you did. Perhaps I can help make Saionji understand so that he can forgive you as well."  
  
"I don't care whether I have his forgiveness or not," Kozue snapped, once more grabbing hold of the oaken door. "I just want him to leave me in peace. Miki, get out of the way."  
  
This time the older twin did as his sister demanded, retreating beyond the swing of the door. Able to close it, Kozue did so; the oaken panel slammed shut with an ominously hollow sound. Softly sighing, Miki turned the key in the lock once again, then slipped the iron object into his belt pouch. "I'm sorry, Lord Touga -- "  
  
"No, don't apologize. She has reason to behave in such a manner, and I won't hold it against her," the scarlet-maned chieftain replied, interrupting his youthful host.  
  
Still standing a few steps behind the tall highland prince, Utena smiled brightly. He had done it; she sensed that with the knowledge of the why behind Lady Kozue's actions had come a true forgiveness of what she had done. Only one test remained for the dashingly handsome man, and with every challenge overcome, she had discovered a deeper liking for the Red Tyger. Turning her aquamarine gaze to the younger highlander, she watched as Miki stepped past them both and strode down the corridor.  
  
"You must be wanting to leave now."  
  
"Aye, I should rejoin Saionji and travel with him. Safety in numbers after all," Touga replied, walking along after the blue-haired noble.  
  
"Lord Touga," Miki began, his soft voice sounding uncertain, "I must know if I can continue to rely upon your help. With the change in situation . . ."  
  
The nobleman addressed frowned thoughtfully. He needed to stand with Clan Saionji should the Ohtori come sweeping northward bent on conquest, especially after asking Saionji to do so. Yet he didn't want to take the brunt of the possible hostilities, which would be the case should Clan Kaoru fall. And what of the possible alliance between Clan Nemuro and the Kaoru? Given the possibility that Lord Souji had as squire a relative of Lord Akio, he couldn't dismiss the fact that the Nemuro may be allied to Clan Ohtori after all. However, he did find it intriguing that Miki was asking for assistance while his father was looking to make an alliance elsewhere. "You may," Touga finally said as the trio of nobles descended a flight of stone steps leading to the next floor. "I still believe it's in my clan's best interests to support you against the Ohtori should it come to that. However, I cannot promise anything more than my own assistance. Saionji is free to do as he wishes, and he may not want to come to your aid."  
  
"Unfortunate, but understandable," Miki replied, leading the way to the main entry into the shell keep. Opening the door, he stepped to one side and then turned his bright azure gaze to the Kiryuu prince. "I appreciate any effort you may render on our behalf. I just hope that we are not forced to meet one another on opposite sides of the battlefield."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Utena asked, startled by the youth's grave-sounding words.  
  
"Because . . . I fear that the Nemuro may have some sort of alliance with the Ohtori, and should my father have his way . . ."  
  
"Then the south and west could be united to make a push into the north and east, all for the greater glory of Clan Ohtori," Touga finished, frowning.  
  
"What truly bothers me is that Father may be exchanging phantom chains of submission for true ones," Miki replied.  
  
The Red Tyger nodded. Giving the youthful heir a smile, he bowed slightly. "Fare well to you, Lord Miki, and tread carefully. God willing that we shall not end up on opposite sides."  
  
"Fare well to you also, my lord," the blue-haired youth said, smiling in return. He remained standing there by the door, still holding it, as Touga and Utena carefully made their way down the stone steps to the bailey down below. Near the stables, their party was mounted and waiting, the still-fuming Saionji staring at them in frustrated anticipation, anxious to get out of the stronghold's confines. Miki was still staring at them all as they rode off through the gate, a faint sense of dread filling him. (God willing,) he thought, turning away at last to step into the stone tower. 


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten  
  
Clouds continued to race across the sky, alternately   
allowing the sunshine to pierce the evergreen canopy and   
form pools of bright radiance onto the forest floor and   
plunging the deep woods into further shadow. The party of   
nobles and followers made their way along the well-worn dirt   
trail, finally letting their mounts take to a more relaxed   
stride now that they were well on their way toward the   
border of the Kaoru lands.  
  
Saionji had set their earlier, hastier pace. At the head of   
the group, the emerald-haired chieftain had continued to be   
anxious to just get some distance between himself and the   
site of his near-humiliation. Only when they were deep into   
the forest that loomed over the river did Saionji's   
thunderous expression finally soften, and he let his   
gorgeous courser travel at anything slower than a trot.  
  
Riding side by side, Touga and Utena had followed at the   
same pace, the group of warriors, men at arms and   
handmaidens arranged around them. Considering their rapid   
speed, they had traveled then in silence, the normal sounds   
of the woods broken only by the sound of hooves against the   
earth and the jingle of their tack.  
  
However, the more leisurely walk wouldn't do either, Touga   
realized when he glanced up to see what he could of the sky   
through the deep green evergreen boughs high above.   
Frowning as he took note of the angle of the sunlight, he   
urged his mount forward and drew next to his friend.   
"Saionji."  
  
"Aye?" the verdant-maned chieftain responded, looking at the   
other man.  
  
"Nightfall will catch us still on the southern edge of your   
lands," Touga pointed out. "We didn't exactly bring with us   
equipment with which to camp. Is there any place there   
where we can shelter for the night?"  
  
"There's a hunting lodge near the path once we reach the   
foot of the ridge," Saionji replied, glancing skyward with a   
scowl. "Damn me for my impetuousness. I never even stopped   
to consider the possibility of being caught out in the   
dark."  
  
"No matter," the redheaded nobleman said, his tone   
reassuring. "The lodge should be enough. I don't   
anticipate trouble on your lands. Do you?"  
  
"Hardly," the other lord muttered. "They may not trust me   
just yet, but I *am* chieftain. And they know better than   
to rekindle the feud between us."  
  
"I didn't mean your clan, Saionji."  
  
"Hrmph. If you meant bandits, outlaws and such ilk, then   
again they know better than that," the curly-maned noble   
insisted. "Besides, one of the first things I did when   
Father took ill and I started ruling for him was to offer   
amnesty to anyone outlawed who could prove that they were   
unfairly branded criminal."  
  
"Indeed?" Touga asked, impressed by his friend's foresight.  
  
"A number of manors had been mismanaged, sadly enough. But   
at the least, the number of outlaws within my forests have   
decreased."  
  
"I'm curious . . . How did you manage their cases?" the   
scarlet-maned chieftain queried.  
  
Saionji glanced over at his foster brother, giving the other   
a sardonic smile while recalling the scene of only two days   
ago, where Touga had plead for mercy. "Fairly. Those   
wrongly accused were released while those with mitigating   
circumstances were given lenient sentences. I'm not totally   
ignorant of the concept of justice with mercy."  
  
"I never thought you were," Touga assured him. "Well, then   
. . . We shall reach this lodge of yours come nightfall,   
correct?"  
  
"Aye, though it will be close."  
  
"Pick up the pace some then, my friend. I'll drop back and   
tell the lady of our plans."  
  
"Very well," replied Saionji. Gently tapping his heels   
against his horse's flanks, he pulled on ahead, his   
entourage of clan warriors speeding up to match his mount's   
gait.  
  
At the same moment, Touga tugged lightly on his courser's   
reins. The stallion hesitated in its walk, allowing the   
boyishly-attired maiden to catch up. Drawing abreast of   
her, he gave his mount the signal to continue forward,   
saying, "Since it appears that we cannot reach Pinehaven   
before twilight, it's been decided that we'll spend the   
night in one of Saionji's hunting lodges."  
  
Utena nodded slightly, the feathers of her cap's cockade   
ruffling gently. Most nobles with holdings -- even modestly   
extensive ones -- had scattered about their lands small,   
slightly fortified but easily defensible shelters that, from   
the outside, appeared much like any other manor house   
dotting the landscape. However, such places had no fields,   
and the only peasants there were the caretakers that lived   
in cottages nearby. Such lodges were not permanent homes   
but rather temporary lodging for the lord and his entourage   
should he be traveling or hunting, the lord's rangers who   
watched over the game animals of the demesne's forests, or   
the lord's heralds if they were sent out to deliver a   
message. Though in the lowlands most hunting lodges were   
exclusively for the use of a lord, his family or his   
officers, Utena was aware of the fact that in the highlands,   
such places were considered the property of the clan as a   
whole and any clanmember could use the facilities as an   
emergency shelter.  
  
"Very well," she replied, smiling. "It would certainly be   
much better than either continuing to travel into the night   
or trying to sleep in only the shelter of the forest."  
  
"Indeed," the scarlet-maned chieftain said in agreement.  
  
Behind them, the ponytailed Wakaba kept her gaze fastened to   
the emerald shimmer of the Saionji prince's thick, curly   
hair. "Isn't he wonderful?" she sighed in admiration.  
  
Next to her, both Shiori to her right and Tatsuya to her   
left frowned at her softly spoken words. Her violet eyes   
darting about their surroundings for what seemed to Ryu to   
be the hundredth time, Shiori lightly sneered, "That all   
depends. He's got a temper, and Lady Kozue almost ruined   
him."  
  
"It's not his fault that he's so misunderstood," the younger   
brunette insisted, turning to glare at the other lady in   
waiting.  
  
"Misunderstood," Shiori repeated, her violet gaze dropping   
to stare for a moment at a ring upon her finger before   
glancing about the party's woodland surroundings yet again.   
"You do realize how hopeless this infatuation of yours is,   
don't you, Wakaba? After all, you're a mere servant while   
he's a great lord."  
  
The ponytailed brunette silently bristled in anger.   
Something about the other's tone of voice gave Wakaba the   
impression that Shiori somehow considered herself better   
than her fellow peasant. Brown eyes narrowing in fury,   
Wakaba opened her mouth to give Shiori a scathing retort.  
  
A deadly hissing sound filled the air, followed by sickly   
hollow thuds and the screams of pain from man and horse   
alike, interrupting the brunette handmaiden. Looking around   
in shock, it took a short moment for the feathered shafts   
and the blood to register.  
  
They were under attack!  
  
Saionji bit back a shout, his right shoulder feeling as if   
it was on fire. Yanking hard on the reins of his mount, he   
turned to stare back at the initial damage the volley of   
arrows had done, ignoring the tickling sensation of blood   
running down his skin. Two warriors from each clan were   
down, their suddenly riderless horses bolting; the fact that   
they laid there silently testified to the deadly accuracy of   
at least some of the archers hidden in the brush around   
them. Another pair of horses foundered, the clansmen riding   
them jumping free and drawing their swords. "To the trees!"   
the green-haired chieftain shouted, paying little heed to   
the pain that burned across the top of his shoulder as he   
drew his own blade.  
  
Steel whispered against wood as Touga bared his weapon. The   
first volley had apparently been aimed at the nobles'   
escort; it would be a good bet that the next would target   
them. Saionji had the right of it: they needed to get out   
of the road where they continued to present themselves as   
clear targets. "Take shelter, then find and kill them!" he   
ordered, his glance turning to the rose-haired maiden at his   
side.  
  
Utena sat there astride her mare, her sea-blue eyes wide in   
horror. Ambushed just as her parents were! The lingering   
memory of those terrifying moments blended into the here and   
now, leaving her virtually paralyzed.  
  
"Utena! Go!" Touga yelled, instantly concerned at seeing her   
apparently frozen in fear.  
  
His voice cut through the haze, pulling her attention to   
him. For a fraction of an instant, she could see the image   
of a scarlet-haired boy of about ten winters overlaid upon   
the sight of the man he had become, the echo of his   
once-youthful voice striking a chord within her mind. Then   
she was fully back to reality, and with it returned both the   
memory of her promise to herself and her determination.   
(No! I refuse to be helpless!)  
  
Pulling her shortsword from its scabbard, she gave voice to   
a battle cry and dug her heels against the flanks of her   
palfrey. The white mare leapt into action, heading for the   
brush alongside the road in the direction she'd noted some   
of the arrows had come.  
  
Touga tugged on his courser's reins; the stallion wheeled   
toward where the boyishly-attired girl had disappeared into   
the foliage. Then came another hiss of feathered death;   
lord and mount both cried out as an arrow sank straight   
through the flesh above Touga's left knee into the horse   
underneath, effectively pinning him to his mount. Hissing   
in a breath in agony, he continued riding forward,   
determined to keep his focus on eliminating the threat --   
though every step of his stallion made his wounded leg flare   
up in renewed pain.  
  
Around him, he could hear the telltale sounds of steel   
against steel. Looking to the left, he watched as Utena   
efficiently parried one of the attacker's blows then   
dispatched him with a backswing that flayed open his throat.   
Blood exploded outwards as the rose-haired maiden closed to   
engage another of the dark-clad strangers. Tossing aside   
his bow, the man drew a sword and met her halfway, their   
blades ringing against one another with the clash.   
Elsewhere, Touga could hear the sounds of combat, but none   
of his party was close enough for him to see how they were   
faring. Noting another of the attackers preparing to loose   
yet another arrow, the scarlet-maned chieftain ran him down   
with his courser as he went on the offensive. The first   
slash neatly cleaved the man's bow, sending the feathered   
shaft falling to the forest floor. The second swing ripped   
across the stranger's front, shredding his dark-hued leather   
jerkin and leaving a crimson line of cloven flesh in its   
wake.  
  
The man stumbled back with a scream, then pulled free his   
own blade; another clash of steel as Touga's next blow was   
frantically parried by his foe, the man's empty hand pressed   
against the wound across his chest. Leaning over his   
stallion's neck was no easy feat due to the arrow protruding   
through Touga's leg limiting his range of motion. Agony and   
training combined to give him a focus as sharp as his blade.   
  
Slapping aside the man's attempt at a jab, Touga stabbed   
back with a forceful blow in the opening presented. The man   
fell back to the ground, gurgling his last, his breast   
pierced through the heart. Pulling his sword out, Touga   
straightened up then pulled on the reins; the stallion   
swiftly turned to the right and together they moved closer   
to where Utena sat searching for more strangers to dispatch.  
  
Nearby shouts and the ring of steel continued to echo   
through the evergreens as a trio of black-clad men appeared   
as if by magic to surround Utena. Momentarily surprised,   
both the pink-haired girl and the Kiryuu prince sat there as   
the men swarmed her, one taking hold of the bridle of her   
mount and the other two attempting to pull her from the   
saddle.  
  
The feel of hands roughly grabbing her made Utena lash out   
in pure instinct; stabbing viciously downward, the young   
noblewoman was rewarded by the feel of her blade sinking   
deep into flesh accompanied by an anguished scream and the   
snap of bone.  
  
The wounded assailant fell back. Her left hand yanking hard   
on the reins in an attempt to regain control over her   
palfrey, the boyishly-attired maiden slashed at the other   
man trying to yank her down. The stranger staggered back,   
releasing his hold; to do otherwise would have risked him   
losing a hand to his target's blade.  
  
Touga closed the distance rapidly, thrusting downward at the   
dark-attired stranger who had dared attempt to wrest control   
of the lady's palfrey. Steel met steel with an echoing   
clash, the man parrying the Red Tyger's glittering   
longsword. The scarlet-haired chieftain grimly battled on,   
determined to cut the man down.  
  
Sunlight flashed off silver metal as the man accosting the   
pink-clad girl drew his own sword and jabbed upward at her.   
Sucking in a breath, Utena forcefully leaned back; she found   
herself staring at the deadly blade scant inches away from   
her face while her hat tumbled to the forest floor and her   
hair fell around her in a cascade of rose-hued curls.  
  
With a growl, the noblewoman shoved the sword away with her   
own weapon then pressed an attack. The exchange was brief   
but violent, ending when Utena deftly disarmed the man with   
a twisting thrust of her dirk then slashed his throat with   
the follow-through. The stranger fell with a sickly   
gurgling sound.  
  
She turned her attention to the struggle next to her,   
aqua-hued eyes wide as she watched a blistering exchange of   
blows between another of the dastards and the Kiryuu prince.   
Urging her mare to a better position, Utena lashed out with   
her shortsword, burying it to the hilt in the man's back.   
Caught in a struggle for survival instead of taking part in   
a tournament or contest of honor, anything was fair game --   
including a stab in the back.  
  
Touga stayed his hand, the scarlet-haired lord surprised to   
see his foe abruptly go rigid, the light of life in his eyes   
fading even as the Red Tyger stared at him. Looking beyond   
the dead body while it fell to the detritus-strewn ground,   
the Kiryuu chieftain blinked as he caught sight again of his   
feminine companion.  
  
Blood-spattered, the crimson bright against her palfrey's   
light-colored coat and her pink-hued clothing, her hair was   
flowing loosely about her head and shoulders while her   
sea-blue eyes were alight with fiery determination. She   
appeared the very image of a battle maiden, one of the   
heavenly host come to earth to crush all who would oppose   
her. And in that very moment, he realized that she was no   
thornless rose that needed someone to protect her, to decide   
for her what was safe and what was not. Perhaps once, long   
ago, she truly needed someone to be a guardian.  
  
She had grown up, blossoming into a woman that would make   
any highlander proud despite her lowland blood.  
  
Just then, a thunderous battle cry sounded, off to the   
right. Focusing on the familiar voice and tearing his gaze   
from the enchanting lady, Touga allowed himself a slight   
smile. (I do believe Saionji's having a bit of fun,) he   
silently joked, trying to make light of the grim situation.   
Doing his best to ignore the throbbing pain in his pierced   
leg, he signaled his courser to make its way toward the   
sound. The jingling of tack and the thud of a horse's   
hooves told him that Utena was following his lead.  
  
In all honesty, the emerald-haired prince was having a more   
amusing time of it now that the majority of the curs had   
been dispatched. His sword stained crimson with the blood   
of a quartet of strangers who were even now dead meat slowly   
cooling against the forest floor, he raised it high above   
his head as he galloped after the fifth would-be assassin   
he'd targeted. Rapidly approaching the man's back, he   
slashed viciously downward; leather jerkin and flesh alike   
parted at the slash of razor-sharp metal.  
  
The man tumbled to the earth; ignoring the throbbing pain in   
his shoulder -- easy to do with battle lust filling his   
awareness -- Saionji jumped to the ground from his perch   
atop his courser and slammed down on the man's head with the   
hilt of his longsword. Grunting in satisfaction as his foe   
collapsed limply, stunned, the verdant-maned chieftain   
straightened up and quickly scanned his surroundings with   
his violet gaze.  
  
No other threats were immediately apparent. The remaining   
Kiryuu and Saionji warriors were loosely ringed around the   
two handmaidens, one of the lowlander lady's men at arms   
with the other men. All of them stood at the ready, though   
nothing more emerged from the forest to engage them.   
Absently planting a booted foot on the downed man's bleeding   
back -- should the man begin to stir with returning   
consciousness, the vibrations of his movement would alert   
the prince to take further action -- Saionji stood still,   
straining his hearing as well as his sight.  
  
A tense quiet settled over the scene. Discovering no clues   
to even more of the damned strangers appearing seemingly out   
of nowhere, the green-haired lord made a sound of   
satisfaction as he turned his attention to the one   
still-living man. Dressed in a tunic of dark green and   
trews of deep brown -- both hues ones which blended well   
with the colors and shadow of the forest -- with black   
leather boots and a jerkin of the same material giving some   
protection over the torso, a wide leather belt around his   
waist under which was thrust a wooden scabbard and a quiver   
holding a few black-fletched arrows strapped across his back   
above where he was bleeding, there was nothing about the   
dark-haired man to give away whom his master was.  
  
The rustle of foliage instantly caught his notice; light   
glimmered darkly against red-stained metal as Saionji   
whirled to face the direction of the sound, taking a ready   
stance. The moment he saw it was Touga and the fey-seeming   
lowlander woman, he sighed in relief and relaxed. "Where   
were you? You missed all the excitement," he mildly teased,   
his gruff exterior hiding the sudden concern he had as his   
violet gaze focused on the arrow protruding from Touga's   
lower thigh.  
  
"Off for a relaxing ride in the woods," the redheaded prince   
responded in kind to his friend's joke. Becoming serious   
once more, he glanced around. "No others?"  
  
"Doesn't seem to be any more of the accursed dogs," Saionji   
acknowledged. Glancing down, he gave the body at his feet a   
shove with the booted foot that had been resting on it.   
"Captured one. Hopefully we'll find out who set their   
hounds on us."  
  
"Any clues?"  
  
"Not a one," the verdant-maned chieftain said, snorting in   
derision. Taking a moment to clean the steel of his sword   
on the downed man's clothing, Saionji resheathed his blade   
then bent down to pull the still stunned man to his feet.  
  
Touga blinked, noting the crimson spot staining the shoulder   
of his friend's tunic and the hole in the fabric there.   
"Saionji? How badly are you wounded?"  
  
The lord addressed glanced up and raised his eyebrows.   
"What? You mean this?" he asked, nodding his head to the   
right, indicating the blood-stained area in question. "It's   
nothing, really. Got clipped by an arrow. Near as I can   
tell, I had a small chunk torn from me, but nothing vital.   
Though I do want to make *someone* pay for giving me a new   
scar to bear." Saionji then turned his head, calling out to   
the trio of his remaining warriors, "Someone come hold this   
cur!"  
  
Two of the clansmen broke away from the ring surrounding the   
women, hastening to answer their lord's summons. Though   
wounded, they moved with relative ease, a hint that any   
injuries were more likely not life-threatening ones.  
  
Violet eyes narrowed in a vicious expression; his attention   
once again focused on his captive, Saionji gave the dark   
brunette man a violent shake. "Wake up, mongrel, and tell   
us who your master is," he growled. The moment his   
retainers took hold of the prisoner, the emerald-maned   
prince let go of him and stepped back.  
  
The immediacy of the moment began to fade, bringing with it   
a renewed awareness of the missile transfixing his leg.   
Agony washed over Touga, the pain an intense throbbing in   
time with his still-rapid heartbeat. Feeling suddenly   
faint, the Kiryuu prince closed his eyes and tightened his   
grip on the reins.  
  
Watching the redheaded lord rapidly turn deathly pale, Utena   
swung down from her saddle. The moment her feet touched   
ground, she called out for Wakaba to join her. Of all the   
members of their party, the two handmaidens were the only   
ones not bloodstained in some manner. As the unusually   
sedate handmaiden hastened to dismount from her palfrey and   
run to her mistress's side, Utena swiftly drew next to Touga   
and stared up at him. "Let me tend to your wound, my lord."  
  
"You know something of chirurgery?" he asked.  
  
"Aye, a little. 'Tis a handy skill when one travels often,"   
the pink-attired maiden responded, slipping a hand carefully   
between man and horse where the arrow pinned them to one   
another. "Wakaba, fetch me my kit," she added the minute   
the brown-eyed girl drew near. Wakaba nodded and moved   
quickly to rummage through the saddlebags on the rose-haired   
noble's palfrey. Meanwhile, Utena continued to gently probe   
the wound.  
  
Touga's stallion started, trying to pull away. Hissing in   
renewed agony, the Kiryuu prince abruptly felt even more   
lightheaded as he fought to keep his mount under control.  
  
Utena swiftly withdrew her hand, her pale skin smeared with   
human and equine blood alike. "Come hold his horse steady!"   
she shouted to the other men there. At the same moment,   
Wakaba returned to the noblewoman's side, hands clutching a   
plain brown leather pouch.  
  
The remaining Saionji and Kiryuu warriors, as well as   
Tatsuya, quickly dismounted and rushed over to give the   
oddly-dressed maiden what assistance they could. The men   
surrounded the injured courser, one grabbing hold of the   
animal's bridle.  
  
"I said 'Tell me who your master is'!" Saionji yelled at his   
prisoner, tiring of the staring game between the stranger   
with dark brown hair and himself.  
  
"Go rot in Hell for eternity, Saionji," the man snarled in   
return.  
  
"Tell me or suffer the consequences, mongrel," the   
green-haired lord growled.  
  
"Do your worst. I have nothing to fear from a gelded   
gryphon such as you. Everyone knows that the Kiryuu   
emasculated you," the stranger replied with a smirk.  
  
Saionji blinked, momentarily astounded at the man's   
effrontery. Just as most of the ruling chieftains of the   
highlands were given colorful nicknames, the Saionji prince   
had one as well based on his coat of arms. His shield being   
a silver one bearing upon it the image of a rampaging green   
gryphon facing to the left had given to the Saionji princes   
the unofficial title of the Verdant Gryphon. His father   
dead, that informal sobriquet was now Saionji's, just as the   
official titles and the power had become. That this bag of   
offal that called itself a human dared hint that part of his   
being held hostage entailed that he was castrated made   
Saionji lash out in pure fury. Snarling, he gave the man a   
resounding open-handed slap across the face.  
  
Were it not for the two grim-faced warriors holding him, the   
darkly-clad stranger would have fallen to the forest floor   
with the force of the angry lord's blow. It took him a   
heartbeat to recover from the ringing in his ears, but when   
he did, he gave his captor a leering grin. Noting the fury   
burning in the noble's purple eyes, he knew it wouldn't take   
much more to push the chieftain over the edge. "It's true,   
isn't it," he murmured in a low voice while still smiling   
coolly at the Saionji prince, "that the elder Kiryuu turned   
you into a woman just to give his son a better plaything?"  
  
A white-hot rage washed over Saionji. Without a thought,   
his sword was pulled, then slashed viciously. Blood   
abruptly burst out in a pulsing crimson fountain as the   
stranger's dark-haired head fell to the ground. The pair of   
Saionji warriors let go of the decapitated body, expressions   
of startled awe on their faces while their chieftain yanked   
his blade from where it had lodged in the man's right   
shoulder. "I am no one's plaything," he snarled to the dead   
body, wiping off his sword on a portion of the man's   
clothing not drenched in blood.  
  
Nearby, Utena drew her dagger, her free hand reaching up to   
carefully hold the notched end of the missile transfixing   
the Kiryuu prince's leg. "Hold as still as you can, my   
lord," she murmured, setting the edge of the dagger against   
the wooden shaft just under the black feathers. So close   
was the fletching to Touga's leg that the flat of her   
dagger's blade brushed against his bloodstained pants.  
  
Sucking in a breath and holding it, the redheaded lord   
braced himself. She would have to saw through the shaft   
with the knife in order to remove the feathered end of the   
arrow, and that meant the wound being unavoidably moved. As   
the vibrations of the shaft made the throbbing agony worse,   
Touga let his breath out slowly, doing his best to just   
shrug it off. However, the dagger was sharp and the sawing   
didn't take long for Utena to reach a point where she could   
cleanly snap off the fletching. Dropping the mass of   
feathers and wood to the detritus-strewn ground, she wiped   
her blade off on her pink tunic's skirt and replaced the   
knife.  
  
Glancing up at him, she gave the handsome lord an   
encouraging smile. "I know it's going to hurt, but this is   
the best way. There's barely a handspan between you and   
your horse, and the arrowhead's embedded deep enough into   
your courser that I can barely feel the bumps made by the   
points. If you can move your leg so that the arrow slides   
through, that'll leave me enough shaft to grab hold of in   
order to help remove the arrow from your horse."  
  
Touga nodded, understanding. He at least could comprehend   
what was happening and react in a way that facilitated the   
outcome that would be the best for all involved, whereas his   
courser Wind would only know that what was being done hurt   
and would have no concept that such action would benefit   
him. Glancing down, he frowned thoughtfully as he scanned   
the angle of the slender rod of wood with his cobalt-blue   
gaze. Bracing himself once more, he closed his eyes and   
forced himself to move his injured limb upward and away from   
his courser. A low groan of agony was involuntarily torn   
from him while more pain -- and the odd sensation of   
tortured flesh returning to its proper place -- lanced   
through him; he grimly continued slowly pulling his thigh   
off the arrow embedded through it. Wind neighed and jumped,   
ramming into one of the warriors trying to hold him. The   
violent jostling pulled the missile through the rest of the   
way with a faint wetly-sucking sound. Gritting his teeth in   
anticipation of the expected impact, the scarlet-haired   
chieftain dismounted the only way he truly could; he let   
himself fall to the ground, knocking the breath from him   
when he landed hard on his unwounded side.  
  
The moment he was safely on the ground, Utena dropped to   
kneel at his side. Holding up a hand, she demanded of her   
waiting handmaiden, "The shears, Wakaba." Feeling the cool   
metal of the instrument in her palm, the young noblewoman   
lowered her hand to poke the lower point of the forged iron   
shears through the bloodstained fabric above the entry   
wound. She quickly proceeded to cut the downed prince's   
trews from his limb then tossed the cloth to the side, her   
gaze focusing on the wound.  
  
The twin holes were oozing, but otherwise the injury looked   
clean. Apparently Touga had managed to keep his leg   
relatively immobile while he was pinned. Handing the shears   
back to the wide-eyed girl hovering nearby, Utena asked   
Wakaba to go fetch her water bag, wanting to wash away the   
blood before attempting to further treat the injury.  
  
"So how bad is it?" the redheaded lord softly asked the   
moment he had caught his breath. Raising himself up on an   
elbow, the ends of his bright hair pooling against the   
forest floor, he attempted to look at the wound as well.  
  
"It appears you were lucky. I don't see any signs yet of   
contamination, and the edges of the wound are smooth, not   
ragged or torn." Glancing up as a shadow fell over her,   
Utena gave her servant a smile and took the goatskin bag   
full of potable water from the other girl. "Let me clean it   
off so that I can see better what it is I'm doing . . ."  
  
"Take your time, my lady," Touga replied, gently chuckling.   
"It's not as if I'm going to be getting up any time soon."  
  
"A couple of stitches to encourage the skin to mesh and   
you'll be as good as new in no time," Utena responded,   
fervently hoping that the wound wouldn't somehow fall prey   
to putrefaction. Pulling the stopper from the bag's neck,   
she gave the soft goatskin a squeeze, forcing out the clear   
liquid within. For good measure, she poured some more into   
each end of the injury, hoping the water would take with it   
any splinters that may have happened to be broken from the   
surface of the shaft; Touga moved his leg at her direction   
to let her get to the wound on the inner side of his thigh,   
closing his eyes and softly hissing as he did so.  
  
While the rose-haired maiden and her rather subdued   
handmaiden were tending to the other chieftain, Saionji   
gestured to the two warriors near him to follow him. Still   
appearing awestruck, they murmured their acquiescence then   
trailed along after their lord as the verdant-maned prince   
strode over to where the others were holding Touga's   
courser. Pulling his dagger from its sheath on his belt,   
Saionji looked over the arrow still protruding from the   
animal's side. "Keep him as steady as you can," he ordered,   
his voice gruff. The two clansmen hastened to do as their   
chieftain had bidden while Saionji took hold of the wooden   
shaft in his free hand.  
  
Two quick slashes and a yank, helped along when Wind neighed   
and attempted to rear up, and the arrow was free of the   
horse. One of the Saionji warriors grabbed for the bridle,   
helping Tatsuya keep the animal from pulling his head free   
of the man at arm's grasp. A quick glance of violet eyes   
and a grim smile; the missile was intact, the arrowhead   
still attached to the shaft. With a sound of satisfaction,   
Saionji dropped the object from his grasp. He then raked   
his gaze over the other highlanders there. "Let the lady's   
man hold Wind. Spread out and find those we're missing."   
As they nodded and walked off in various directions, the   
green-haired man added, muttering, "Let's see how bad it   
really is . . ."  
  
It was the worst it could have been. After gently   
commanding Wakaba to bind Touga's leg tightly from a strip   
torn from the hem of the rose-haired maiden's pink-hued   
tunic before doing so, Utena then moved on to stitching up   
the courser's wound. Meanwhile, the remaining highlanders   
returned with only two of the runaway mounts and none of the   
missing men. All were dead, leaving them just over half   
their number alive and all but the three women wounded in   
some manner. A short discussion followed, during which it   
was reluctantly decided that the bodies of the dead would   
have to be left behind. Day was inexorably on its way to   
night, and should word reach the would-be assassins' master   
that they had failed in their task, they could face another   
fight. Should that happen, the nobles and their remaining   
entourage would be hard-pressed to defend themselves once   
more. Their best chance of survival would be to ride as   
fast as possible for the hunting lodge on the Saionji lands,   
as had been their original intent.  
  
The moment they were all mounted again, a couple of the   
highlander clansmen helping shove Touga back up into the   
saddle, they were off, riding at a fast trot through the   
evergreens.  
________________  
  
The fire was warm and cheerful, the dancing orange light   
shining on the small group of people gathered there. Though   
normally a time for relaxation and good-natured   
conversation, the events of earlier that day kept everyone   
in a dampened mood. A simple meal had been fixed with what   
had been available in the lodge's stores, and the first   
drink of the night had been a toast to the memory of the   
fallen. After that, all of them had eaten in silence, their   
minds on the ambush.  
  
Poor Ryu, killed in the defense of his mistress and now his   
body lying in the forest, meat for the scavengers. Utena   
frowned slightly, dreading having to tell the young man's   
mother of her son's fate. Memories came unbidden, of her   
times with the brunette youth in her company, of the   
conversations and events they'd shared in her travels.  
  
Taking a swallow of his wine, Touga glanced over at the   
melancholy-appearing woman. For him at least the pain,   
blessedly, was beginning to fade somewhat under the   
influence of the alcohol, though he certainly wasn't   
planning on getting drunk like some of the others. Utena   
sat there, her expression morose, finger rubbing idly   
against the side of a pewter goblet. "It's always tough, my   
lady, though as time goes on, it gets somewhat easier," the   
redheaded lord said.  
  
Utena blinked, then looked over at the man who spoke. "What   
does?"  
  
"Dealing with the fact that people die in your service," he   
gently replied. "Though the ones that no longer care are   
the ones to worry about."  
  
"I just keep wondering what to tell his mother . . ."  
  
"Just tell her the truth," Saionji said, his low voice for   
once having a soft tone to it. "It can't ever give her back   
her son, but to know that he died honorably should help   
some."  
  
"And I can't even send him back home for her to bury," Utena   
sighed.  
  
"On the morrow, my men and I are going to ride as fast as   
possible to Pinehaven, my lady," Saionji responded. "I'm   
going to bring back enough to guard this place and send men   
into the Kaoru lands to bring them *all* home." He paused,   
taking a sip from his cup. "I won't let any of them rot in   
the wilderness. They deserve better."  
  
"How's your shoulder?" Touga asked, flicking his dark blue   
gaze over to his friend.  
  
"Stiff, but otherwise all right." Saionji set the goblet   
down, then slowly moved his right arm through its entire   
range of motion, grimacing slightly at the pain.   
"Functional, anyway."  
  
"That's good." Frowning, the redheaded chieftain looked to   
his bandaged leg. "I fear I'll be off my feet for a couple   
of days."  
  
"That's why you get to stay here, and why I'm going to bring   
enough men to guard this place," the verdant-maned lord   
replied.  
  
"But what if someone comes while he's gone?" Shiori asked,   
tilting her short-haired head slightly in curiosity. "That   
would just leave Tatsuya and Lord Touga's man to guard our   
lady, Lord Touga, Wakaba and me . . ."  
  
"Can't be helped," Saionji muttered, the hair on the back of   
his neck rising slightly as a shiver ran down his spine.   
Something about that question put him on edge, though he   
couldn't explain just what that something could be.   
Inwardly, he decided to leave his own men behind, risking   
the gallop from here to Pinehaven alone. He was on his own   
lands now, and should be safe.  
  
"I'm sure we'll be fine," Touga responded, nodding as the   
men around him echoed the sentiments. "The lodge is   
fortified and easily defended from the inside. And we are   
on Saionji lands; I trust you have regular patrols to look   
for any remaining troublemakers?"  
  
"Of course," the Verdant Gryphon replied. "Wardens as well   
as my warriors patrol my lands, watching for poachers,   
raiders and outlaws alike. Still, those men that ambushed   
us . . . Was it just me, or did they seem to come out of   
nowhere?"  
  
"They appeared as if they were spirits, m'lord," one of the   
three remaining Saionji men answered, hazel eyes wide. "One   
moment they were not to be seen, the next they were there,   
on the attack."  
  
"I don't like the fact that they were so close to the border   
with our lands," muttered another of the surviving clansmen.   
"Why didn't the Kaoru discover them sneaking about?"  
  
"Maybe the fact that they did just appear has something to   
do with it," Touga murmured, gazing into his goblet   
thoughtfully.  
  
"What are you thinking?" Saionji asked, recognizing the tone   
of his friend's voice.  
  
"Magic . . . I wonder if they didn't have some sort of   
mystical help."  
  
"But who would want us dead enough . . .?"  
  
"I'm not certain that we were the targets, Saionji," the Red   
Tyger said. "Aye, our men died. Aye, you and I both were   
wounded. But some of those attackers were attempting to   
drag Lady Utena from her horse."  
  
"Ah . . ." Saionji replied, thinking back on the   
conversation with Lord Miki. Not wanting to mention that in   
front of the lady in question, he fell silent, purple gaze   
focused on the dancing flames. Perhaps then the attack was   
something instigated by Lord Akio in order to take into   
custody the lady whom he sought. For a moment, he regretted   
losing his temper and destroying the only means they had had   
to discover for certain who had ordered the attack, though   
the moment he recalled the man's words, he clenched a fist   
in renewed fury.  
  
From the sound of the comment, Touga was certain his foster   
brother's thoughts had turned in the same direction his own   
had. Lord Akio was more than likely the person behind the   
incident, and the thought of the Phoenix somehow getting his   
hands on the slender warrioress made him grit his teeth.   
No, he certainly didn't wish to see Lady Utena somehow in   
Ohtori's power.  
  
"M'lady, I think it's time Wakaba and I retired for the   
night," Shiori said, setting down her goblet.  
  
Turning her sea-blue gaze to her handmaidens, the woman in   
question nodded her head. The three of them were given one   
of the lodge's rooms to share, the two ladies in waiting   
assigned cots that were pulled from the closet and set up   
for them. A third cot, situated next to the entrance of the   
room, was awaiting Tatsuya -- as the sole survivor of her   
guard, it was his place to sleep where he could bar the way   
to anyone coming to attempt to molest any of the ladies   
within. Knowing that it wouldn't be seemly to stay alone in   
a roomful of men, no matter how much she wished to keep the   
scarlet-maned chieftain company, Utena gracefully stood.   
"Very well. I shall join you, since I too am feeling weary   
from the day's events," she replied. Taking a step forward,   
she paused and glanced back at the men continuing to sit   
around the fire. "Good night to you all. We shall see you   
on the morrow."  
  
The chieftains and the warriors all murmured in response,   
falling silent until the ladies were safely ensconced within   
the room given to them for the night. After a number of   
moments, during which the only sound that was heard was the   
crackling of the fire, Touga took another drink from his   
wine. "If the Phoenix is behind what happened today, he's   
going to pay for it."  
  
"You think he's the one?" Saionji asked.  
  
"Those men were attempting to carry her off. It was obvious   
they were trying to pull her from her palfrey."  
  
"I wonder why he wants her so badly?" the emerald-maned   
chieftain queried.  
  
"I don't know. But I'm beginning to wonder if her quest has   
something to do with it," Touga answered.  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"Magic . . . Her quest has the feel of magic to it, and I   
think those men had magic helping them." He gazed   
thoughtfully into the heart of the flames. "She seeks the   
champion of Love, some man who is an example of the virtues   
sought after by those who revere Amor. But why?"  
  
"She's not told you what it's all about yet?" Saionji asked.  
  
"No, not a word. Though truly, it's something I want to do   
for its sake alone."  
  
"Oh? I thought you were doing it to win her hand," the   
Gryphon replied. "And only that reason, since you're so set   
on marrying her."  
  
"I've changed. I can't easily explain it, but I want to be   
this. I want to prove myself worthy as one who can do this   
task the champion must perform. When I was standing there,   
facing Lord Souji, it came to me . . . There's so much chaos   
and hatred in the world that I want to be one that stands   
against it, to be a shining beacon fighting against the   
darkness."  
  
"Touga?"  
  
"Aye?"  
  
"I think you truly have gone mad . . ." 


	12. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven  
  
Enough light of the new day filtered in through the small   
window high up in the room to illuminate the cozy chamber.   
Sitting on the edge of the bed, her two ladies in waiting   
still gently snoozing, Utena finished tying her hair back   
with a ribbon of pink silk. Since she was planning on   
remaining in the fortified manor, there was no need to hide   
her lush mane under a hat. Fluffing out the wavy ponytail   
of soft curls, she rose and crossed over the wooden floor,   
pushing open the door.  
  
On the pallet next to the arched doorway, Tatsuya remained   
lost in slumber as well. A gentle smile settled on her   
face; at least she hadn't lost both her faithful guardsmen,   
though the death of Ryu remained a dark spot in her mind.   
Her attention caught by sounds coming from the main room of   
the hunting lodge, the slender warrioress made her way into   
the hall-like chamber.  
  
Saionji and his clansmen, along with the single remaining   
Kiryuu warrior, were standing together in a small knot a   
distance away from where Touga remained asleep near the   
fireplace. Catching sight of most of the men clothed and   
awake made her softly gasp and stand there in the archway   
leading to the corridor from whence she'd come. It wouldn't   
exactly be proper to go further without any sort of an   
escort. Still, seeing them up and about made her curious.   
"My lord, you're awake at an early hour," she said, resting   
a hand against the stone of the entryway.  
  
"Hmm?" the Verdant Gryphon responded, startled by the   
feminine voice. Glancing about and noticing the woman   
standing nearby, he grimly smiled. "Ah, 'tis you. Aye, and   
all the better that I'm up with the dawn. I mean to rush   
home as swiftly as I can."  
  
"Are you taking your warriors with you as escort?"  
  
"Actually . . ." Saionji paused with a frown, then shook   
his head. "No. I'm going to travel alone. I have a   
feeling my men are needed here moreso than galloping through   
the forest with me. I'm on my own lands after all, and it   
would only be the ride to Pinehaven I must worry about."  
  
"Then what of your men?" Utena asked, gesturing toward the   
group of solemn-looking warriors.  
  
"I'm sending them out to patrol the immediate area," the   
gruff chieftain responded. "Even here, with the current   
strength of our party -- including you, my lady, but with   
Touga wounded -- we are in danger from another attempt so   
long as we have only these numbers. If someone should try   
again, you would be more vulnerable with only two men, so   
I'm leaving you my three as well."  
  
"But what of you, my lord?"  
  
Saionji gave the pretty woman a confident smile. "As I   
said, these are my lands. Alone, I can travel as swiftly   
and by whatever route I wish, and I'm certain that there's   
little here that'll pose a danger to me. I'm traveling   
deeper into Saionji territory, and should encounter more of   
my clan the closer I get to Pinehaven. Of us all, you who   
stay here run the greater risk."  
  
Utena returned the other's smile, nodding slightly in   
acknowledgement. "Thank you, Lord Kyouichi. Fare well on   
your journey, then."  
  
"I'm certain I shall," he responded. Clapping one of his   
clansmen on the shoulder, he gave them the order to leave   
the lodge and take up their patrol around the building.   
They filed out through the door opposite where the   
rose-haired maiden stood, closing the heavy oaken portal   
behind them. "Expect me back with more of my clansmen when   
the sun's halfway to the western horizon. I'll return as   
swiftly as I can," he said to the one who had so thoroughly   
enchanted his foster brother. Then he was gone as well,   
disappearing out that same door.  
  
A headstrong man, that one was, and good in his own right   
though at times his passionate nature got the best of him.   
Utena smiled faintly, her eyes settling to gaze at the tall   
form stretched out between chair and footstool. He was in   
the exact same place she had left him, face tilted upward   
toward the ceiling with his head resting against the padded   
back of the chair, one arm lying across his breast while the   
other dangled down against the side of the seat. His bare   
feet were propped up on a padded footstool, the long legs   
stretched fully out. Beyond the soles of his feet, the   
great fireplace gaped open, the last of the embers from the   
fire the night before long since cooled to ash.  
  
More than likely he was going to be rather stiff in the   
joints when he awoke, she mused, silently making her way   
over to stand next to the chair. At some point in the   
night, he'd stripped off his clothing save for the now   
one-legged trews, leaving almost the whole of him exposed to   
her aquamarine gaze. She couldn't help but stare at him,   
his sleek, potentially deadly, masculine beauty made somehow   
more enticing by the innocent tone sleep gave his features.   
And as she stared at him, she could once again see the lad   
he used to be.  
  
His hair had been shorter then -- just brushing against the   
tops of his shoulders -- but it remained the same   
flame-bright silk. His eyes, she knew, were still the same   
intense dark azure. How she ever could have forgotten was   
beyond her, but as she watched him in repose, she knew him.  
  
Faint memories came to her, like shadowy dreams. She'd   
watched him before, sleeping like this, but she had been so   
much smaller then . . . Like a moth to a flame, the girl   
she had once been had been drawn to the boy he once was,   
knowing somehow that she had found someone to hold back the   
frightening darkness of reality. Other images were there,   
of her watching him and his friend go about their lives as   
best they could with a younger child trailing after them.  
  
Lost in thought, she almost didn't see the redheaded   
chieftain's head turn toward her, the cobalt-blue eyes   
opening to stare back. "Oh!" Utena gasped, startled.   
"You're awake."  
  
A corner of his expressive mouth quirked upwards. "I've   
been so for a short while, but I thought it better to try to   
continue resting. Good morning, my lady." However, it had   
been the feeling of eyes upon him that had kept him from   
drifting off -- her eyes -- and now that he was truly awake,   
he became aware of a rather urgent need.  
  
"Good morning to you as well, my lord," she responded,   
stepping back when the highlander groaned and sat up,   
dropping his feet to the floor. She continued to watch,   
wide-eyed, as he pushed himself up from his seat and   
balanced precariously on his feet, the majority of his   
weight supported on his uninjured leg. "Careful," she   
warned as he attempted to take a hobbling step, though she   
couldn't help but wonder just why he was getting up in the   
first place.  
  
The traumatized muscle was stiff; any movement sent pain   
shooting through him. (Still, it can't be helped,) he   
grimly thought as he struggled forward.  
  
The lone remaining Kiryuu warrior yelped softly in   
consternation as he noticed his lord's stumbling gait.   
Rushing to assist in some manner, the sandy-haired clansman   
was halted by a gesture from Touga to stay where he was.  
  
"Stubborn man," Utena murmured, dashing forward while the   
Red Tyger continued his attempt to walk. Wrapping an arm   
around his slender waist, she grabbed his left hand and   
placed that arm across her shoulders. "You'll strain the   
stitching if you persist on proving to everyone how   
impervious you are," she complained. Though she longed to   
ask him just what did he think he was doing, she thought   
better of the question and remained silent, waiting to see   
why he was so determined to walk.  
  
Touga relaxed slightly, leaning against her to allow her to   
help bear his weight whenever he raised his right foot. "I   
need to keep the muscle somewhat mobile, my lady. It'll get   
better the more I walk," he responded. (Besides, I do have   
my pride . . .) Glancing over at his retainer, he called   
out, "Michiyo, fetch me some fresh clothing from my   
saddlebag." As the young warrior hastened off to do his   
chieftain's bidding, Touga limped the rest of the way to the   
garderobe with his feminine companion's assistance. Once   
they were there, he pulled open the door, graciously   
ignoring the sudden blush of embarrassment that colored   
Utena's face when she finally realized his motivation.   
"Thank you for the help, my lady. When Michiyo returns,   
have him toss my clothes inside."  
  
"As you wish," Utena responded, meeting his gaze despite the   
continued heat in her cheeks. Of course he'd need to   
relieve himself after sleeping all night; she could hardly   
tell him to do so in the fireplace -- or worse yet, in the   
chair in which he was sitting. "But I'm determined to see   
you stay off your feet, at least for today."  
  
"I shall do as you wish, within reason," Touga replied. He   
smiled down at her as he slipped from her grasp. "You're   
going to help me back to the chair."  
  
"Aye," she said, noting that the scarlet-maned chieftain was   
merely stating a truth they both already knew.  
  
He disappeared behind the portal then, leaving her there to   
stand waiting alone with her thoughts. Her mind turning   
from her embarassment, she focused on a stray memory from   
her childhood. Even the return of Michiyo only pulled her   
from her musings long enough to relay to the Kiryuu clansman   
his lord's message. Touga had promised her, long ago, that   
he would show her the stars since she was as pretty as they   
-- and he had. He had recalled who she was even when she   
had not remembered him.  
  
And he had made her another promise, one that -- like the   
other -- he would strive to keep no matter what cost now   
that he was a man of power. Utena frowned slightly at that   
thought.  
  
When Touga emerged, he was clothed in scarlet-trimmed violet   
garb decorated at hem, wrists, sleeves and neck with   
silver-threaded knotwork embroidery. Without a word, he   
leaned against the side of the garderobe's entry and held   
out his left arm in a gesture signaling his willingness to   
accept her support once more.  
  
The slender noblewoman smiled at him, noticing that he was   
bearing slightly more weight on his left leg, and she   
slipped next to him to take up once again the burden of   
assistance. She also noted that he had been correct; his   
gait was steadier and his steps more fluidly graceful on   
their return trip. The moment he became settled in the   
chair and had his bare feet propped upon the footstool, she   
stepped back and looked him over. "I know who you are," she   
finally said.  
  
"Mmm?" he responded. Something in the way she spoke kept   
Touga from pointing out the obvious -- that she should know   
his identity after spending so many days in his company.  
  
"You're the one . . ." Utena gently said, "the one that   
pulled me from the water, who took me to your father's home   
and watched over me."  
  
"Aye," he softly answered. "And it was from Kiryuu Keep   
that your relatives took you when you were returned to   
them." How he remembered that, being forced by his father   
to travel to one of their clan's more distant holdings   
without the girl in tow. He had thought she would be safe   
there in the keep, that she didn't need him to guard her   
from the world for those two days. He had been stunned to   
find her gone upon his arrival home; no little rose-haired   
moppet ran to greet him, and all his father had to say was   
that she was where she belonged. Even now, thinking on it,   
the helpless melancholy set in once more. He'd failed her   
then, and it had taken him a while to get over her absence   
-- so much so that not only had Saionji been worried about   
him, but so had his little sister. It was about then that   
the golden-haired child had started keeping her brother   
company as much as she was allowed.  
  
A concerned expression settled on Utena's visage as she   
watched his gorgeous eyes darken in sadness. Had the memory   
of her presence in his life become some sort of perfect   
fantasy, then? If so, then she feared the reality could   
never match. What Utena was it that he hoped for? The one   
his mind may have created or the woman she had truly become?   
"Why the sadness, my lord?"  
  
Those orbs of deepest azure turned their gaze to her at the   
question. "I had promised that I would keep you safe, that   
you would never get hurt again if I could help it . . ."  
  
"I know . . . And the child I was then needed a protector   
like that. But time has changed us both, my lord . . ."  
  
"Did you ever resent me for abandoning you?"  
  
"No, because I wasn't abandoned. You were only a boy then   
yourself. You had to do as the adults said, and I belonged   
home with my aunt and her family." Sighing softly, she   
lowered herself to kneel next to the sturdy, well-padded   
chair. She knew what she had to do; just as she was testing   
him against the virtues of Amor, so she too would be asked   
to uphold them. She had to be honest. "I release you from   
your promise to me, Touga."  
  
He stared at her in amazement, then slowly sat up. "Why?"   
he managed to finally choke out, cobalt gaze still focused   
on her. Couldn't she see how much it had meant to him?  
  
How uncertain of himself he looked in that moment, something   
she knew was a rare sight. Smiling, she reached up and   
lightly caressed one of his cheeks with her fingertips.   
"Because I don't need you like that. I've grown, and I've   
learned to take care of myself. I don't need a guardian   
deciding what's good for me and what's not. I want to take   
my own risks. I'm afraid . . ."  
  
At the feel of her soft fingers against his face, Touga shut   
his eyes. Savoring the touch, he became aware of a   
different ache then either the one in his leg and the one in   
his heart. "Of what?"  
  
"I've only been able to observe what you've become in the   
span of a few days, but I feel as if I've somehow always   
known you. You would cling to your promise should it remain   
there, doing all you could to carry it out, even were it   
against my own desires. You have the power now to keep your   
word, but I fear how far you would take it," Utena answered.   
She let her fingers slide upward to gently stroke his mane   
of red hair. "I don't want a keeper. What I desire is a   
partner."  
  
"I wish for a partner as well . . ." Touga admitted in a   
voice barely heard. Then he wryly smiled. "You sound so   
sure, yet only days ago you had given little thought to the   
future of your life beyond your quest."  
  
"It was a mistake -- an oversight -- on my part," Utena   
conceded, nodding in agreement. Letting his hair slide   
through her grasp, she lowered her hand. "But ever since   
you showed me my lack of foresight, I've been thinking about   
the matter."  
  
"And now you know what you want?" he softly queried.  
  
"Aye," she murmured, the low tone of her voice coaxing him   
to open his eyes. When she spoke no further, he did look at   
her, cobalt-blue gaze meeting her sea-blue one. "But the   
quest comes first, my lord," she added by way of a reminder.  
  
"It means so much to you then, even now?"  
  
"I made a promise that I must keep."  
  
"Then I accept being released from my vow, my lady. But   
there's one thing I must ask, and I pray you are generous,"   
he said, his eyes continuing to stare into hers.  
  
She furrowed her brows, curious as to what he would ask of   
her. "And what boon do you wish, Lord Touga?"  
  
"When your quest is done and your childhood promise kept,   
whether I'm the champion you've sought or some other, give   
me the chance to get to know you better. I'd like for you   
to stay on as my guest at Kiryuu Keep."  
  
Utena frowned thoughtfully. To do so would certainly keep   
them in the close proximity needed for them to learn what   
sort of people they had become, but it would also leave her   
own lands in the hands of her stewards. In and of itself,   
that wasn't a terrible thing; her stewards ran her lands   
anyway, since she traveled often in the pursuit of the task   
given to her from the tender of the rose arbor. Though she   
had hoped to take up the management of her demesne once the   
quest was complete, her holdings wouldn't suffer by having   
her men watch over them for a while longer. "I . . . Aye, I   
would like to do that," she finally answered.  
  
Touga smiled at her. "Thank you, my lady." Then his smile   
grew a bit more. "A shame we have neither goblets or wine."  
  
"Oh? And why's that?" the pink-haired noblewoman asked,   
curious once more.  
  
"Because I'd offer a toast to the future," the highland   
chieftain replied.  
  
The young warrioress laughed softly, then switched to a   
related topic. "Speaking of futures, when are you going to   
tell your sister what's been decided?"  
  
"Almost as soon as I see her next," Touga answered, his   
smile turning wry as he imagined his sibling's reaction.   
"'Tis far better to get the tantrum over with as soon as   
possible, for the sooner she gets over it, the sooner she   
can be made to think more rationally. Besides, it's not   
fair to her to not let her know right away. After all, it   
is her life."  
  
"A shame she can't be allowed to make her own choice," Utena   
said, once again thankful for the provisions in her father's   
will. That legal paper had long ago stated that should   
anything befall both of her parents, the young heiress would   
become the ward of her aunt; so long as her aunt made sure   
Utena was comfortably kept and would never be forced to   
marry against her wishes, that relative would be able to   
claim the Tenjou domain's income for her own until such time   
as the rose-haired girl was married.  
  
"Lady Utena, were I to allow my sister to do as she pleases,   
she would try to be my wife in all the ways that were   
allowed for someone of her relationship," Touga responded,   
shaking his head slightly. "No, that fledgling is one that   
must be kicked from the nest before she realizes she can   
fly."  
  
"She sounds very devoted to you."  
  
"Aye, and too much so for her own good," the Red Tyger   
swiftly admitted. "With Father often busy in the past and   
now dead, my sister and I have only had one another, though   
I do consider Saionji family as well. She's always sought   
to capture my attention and dedicated herself to learning   
all a lady should to run a household properly so that I   
should never worry about that as I deal with other matters   
that concern the clan."  
  
"Don't you think that marrying her off is only going to   
chain her down?" Utena asked, looking at him with an   
expression of curiosity. "How can she fly when you decide   
her fate?"  
  
"Because her desire isn't proper, nor have some of her   
actions been either as she's done what she could to keep for   
herself the role she's made. In all honesty, I'm partially   
to blame." Touga frowned, reaching up to tuck a silken lock   
behind an ear. "Looking back on it, I must confess that my   
darling little sibling discovered a quest of her own. When   
she began, I encouraged her to continue on -- after all, any   
lady of her position needs to learn how best to run a   
household. Later, when I began to see how devoted she had   
become, I ignored it. Her care of the household made up for   
any bedevilment she caused those who sparked her jealousy.   
I didn't want to give up the good work she did, so I looked   
the other way as she made sure in her way that she would   
always be the one closest to me."  
  
"And now you've changed your mind?" the slender noble   
queried.  
  
"Aye, Nanami and I both must face reality -- we're not   
children anymore. The moment I take my dynastic obligations   
seriously, she'll think her entire world's crumbling around   
her." He frowned at the image, then added, "To continue on   
in this manner will only make both of us miserable. I   
regret having to be so tough on her, but she won't deal with   
this without being forced to do so. I've done what I can to   
make the situation the best that I can for her."  
  
"How do you know that it's the best, my lord?"  
  
"Because I know my sister. Fear motivates her -- fear of   
the unknown, of leaving all that's familiar." That he   
discovered this himself only recently made him feel annoyed   
at himself, but Touga was willing to acknowledge that it had   
come from him turning a blind eye to his sister's behavior.   
"She feels vulnerable knowing that her life's dictated by   
politics. She's already stated that it would be better   
where she given to someone she already knows. And there's   
no one she knows better than Saionji, save myself."  
  
Utena nodded, aware of the history between those involved.   
"I admit that politically such an arrangement would further   
strengthen both clans -- "  
  
"My lady," Touga said, cutting in, "in all honesty, the   
political arrangement was a secondary -- though still   
important -- consideration. My sister needs someone she   
knows and can trust to treat her well, someone she can grow   
to admire as she admires me. My foster brother needs   
someone who will look after his household as his clan   
continues to recover from the feud that decimated it. He   
also needs someone who can handle his passionate nature. He   
would overwhelm a weaker woman, and though he may enjoy   
having a cowering servant to wife, it wouldn't be the best   
thing for him. Nanami will certainly put him in his place   
should he act without thinking." Touga leaned against the   
back of the chair, letting his mind wander over memories of   
the trio of nobles growing up. "There's a fondness already   
there. As I've mentioned before, my sibling's always   
tolerated my friendship with Saionji."  
  
"What if that's merely because she considers him a brother,   
just as you do?" the rose-haired maiden asked. "After all,   
you even convinced your father to accept Lord Kyouichi as a   
foster son."  
  
"Well . . ." The scarlet-maned chieftain intertwined his   
fingers and tapped his extended index digits against his   
lips for a moment. "Considering her somewhat inappropriate   
adoration of me, I'm sure she'll adjust well in transferring   
her affections to a sibling *not* related by blood. I see   
it truly depending on how well Saionji can win over her   
heart."  
  
The pretty maiden merely nodded, her eyes glancing   
momentarily around their surroundings. Somehow, she needed   
to test his ability to trust those he loved, and yet it   
seemed as if there was little that would shake his faith in   
those closest to him. That he was here, resting comfortably   
while Saionji was off on a dash back to Pinehaven was   
evidence enough that there was probably nothing that would   
make Touga doubt his foster brother's friendship.  
  
No, the test would have to involve his little sister. Her   
childishness . . . "My lord, who watches over the clan when   
you are off on business?"  
  
Touga raised his scarlet eyebrows in surprise, mildly   
wondering at her query. "I generally leave the household to   
Nanami's charge and rulership of the clan to Ichiro, the   
captain of my household guard."  
  
"You don't let your sister rule in your place?" Utena asked,   
pursing her lips in a gesture of thought.  
  
The highland chieftain shook his head in the negative. "No.   
Though Father allowed her to learn something of politics and   
the rulership of the clan -- after all, any of the blood   
royal may hold the coronet so long as the clan endorses the   
choice -- she's too impulsive yet to truly handle more than   
just the household of my main fortress."  
  
The lowland noble frowned slightly. Perhaps here, then?   
Times at the moment were uncertain. Should Touga be sent on   
the quest to retrieve the magic blade and rescue the spirit   
of Love, he would have to leave his clan behind in capable   
hands. War threatened, and generally the people turned to   
those mandated by blood to rule over them in such   
circumstances. Were the Red Tyger gone, the Kiryuu would   
expect to turn to Lady Nanami -- the captain of the guard,   
more than likely a member of a cadet line of once-royal   
blood, just wouldn't command quite the same loyalty as a   
member of the truly noble senior line. There was magic from   
the very beginning of time held in royal blood, a pact to   
put life and limb in jeopardy for the sake of those watched   
over in exchange for the bounty of the land, and only those   
directly descended from a prince of the land held that   
power. Yet Utena knew for a fact that whomever held the   
power of the Champion would have the forces of Light and   
Life there to offer protection and plenty to the people   
watched over by that one.  
  
War may be possible and the clan left vulnerable, but in   
exchange for taking the risk and winning the challenge,   
Touga would gain the blessings of the best of luck, harvests   
yielding their fullest, the herds, flocks and people at   
their healthiest. Such was the promise of the power   
inherent within the one chosen as worthy of being the new   
Champion.  
  
For her part, Lady Nanami needed to learn independence from   
her brother -- or so it seemed to the pink-maned maiden.   
This would certainly give the younger Kiryuu that chance, as   
well as give her and her clan an opportunity to come to   
trust Lord Kyouichi. If Touga wasn't available for advice,   
then perhaps the golden-haired princess would turn to the   
Saionji prince since he already had experience in ruling his   
clan. That her redheaded companion expressed a reluctance   
to allow his sibling to rule gave her the test she needed.   
"Then, my lord, I have decided upon the final task you must   
perform."  
  
The highlander chieftain blinked, deep azure gaze settling   
upon her. (Trust . . .) he thought, his heart skipping a   
beat as he wondered what he would be asked to do to show   
that he trusted those close to him. Reining in his desire   
to ask her outright what his quest would be, Touga waited in   
silence for her words.  
  
"Allow your sister to rule over the Kiryuu while you journey   
to seek out Love's Honor," Utena said, slowly rising to her   
feet. "Tell her she must rule over the clan fully since you   
won't be available to advise her. Remind her that she can   
ask anyone else help should she be unsure how to proceed on   
a matter."  
  
The scarlet-maned lord stared up at her in astonishment.   
Turn the Kiryuu over fully to Nanami while he was elsewhere   
was reasonable enough, but for how long? What of the   
possible war with Ohtori? "My lady . . ."  
  
"Aye?"  
  
"How long would I be away from my lands? Should conflict   
come while I'm away . . ."  
  
"Are you saying that you cannot trust your own sister with   
the well-being of your people?" Utena gently asked.  
  
"Not quite, my lady," Touga responded, frowning. Well aware   
of the ideal to be truthful in all matters, he hesitated at   
actually defining his thoughts on his sibling's merits. "I   
can trust her to do her best. I am just not certain that   
her best will be good enough should we find ourselves   
fighting against the Ohtori. She was never expected to be   
Father's heir and chieftain, so she's not had the same   
training I have had."  
  
"I'm aware of that, my lord. However, she is of the blood   
royal. God forbid something should happen to you, but if   
so, your people would be facing the same situation but   
without you there to step in should something drastic   
happen," the young noblewoman softly continued.  
  
Touga's jaw tightened, the thin line of his lips becoming   
harder in tone as he thought it over. So much hung in the   
balance. Nanami was inexperienced, though she had been   
taught something of rulership. How could he be asked to   
stand back and watch as his people struggled on without him,   
especially with conflict in the air? Would it really be the   
best for the clan? Steepling his fingers together, he   
closed his eyes and rested the extended digits against his   
lips.  
  
(I want to be this champion, yet I fear for my people . . .   
My sister means well, but should the Ebon Phoenix strike . .   
. I trust my sister with my life, and yet I have my doubts   
when it comes to the lives of others . . .)  
  
Utena carefully watched her companion, sensing the deep   
hesitation within him. (So he is uncertain when it comes to   
his sibling in this capacity . . .) Intertwining her   
fingers together, she frowned at her own presumptiveness.   
How could she ask him to choose between this ideal and his   
people? Even the choice itself was against the very virtues   
she hoped to promote. No, it was time to trust in this   
candidate herself. "My lord, I beg your forgiveness. It's   
not proper to me to make this sound as if you must choose   
between your people and some quest of idealism. Please, let   
me explain something to you. In proving your worth, you   
better things for your land and your people."  
  
"How so?" the highlander asked, opening his eyes to look at   
her once more.  
  
"The one who wins this quest would have all of Light on his   
side. No ill luck would hound him or those in his care, the   
land he rules would prosper to its fullest. Sickness would   
be at a minimum among his animals and his folk, and all the   
bad things that plague mankind would find little purchase   
within his holdings." Noting that she had his full   
attention, Utena nodded. "You may have guessed that this   
quest had something to do with Faerie. It does. The Rose   
Arbor resides in that Other Realm, and that is where a   
candidate must go. The entrance to the mystic path to the   
Arbor is a seven-day journey from here; should all go well,   
you will only be away from your lands a fortnight. Should   
you be the one worthy, you will have all that is Seelie   
blessing you and yours."  
  
"Only a fortnight?" Touga echoed, thinking it over. Two   
weeks wasn't so long, all things considered. With the paths   
only now being open to travel, it could possibly take that   
long for the Ebon Phoenix to gather enough of his forces to   
even start a campaign. Any opening conflict would more than   
likely begin with the Kaoru, unless the impending alliance   
between the Honorable Shadow and that clan diverted the   
beginning of hostilities to the Saionji. Even then, it   
would take time to shift forces into position within the   
Kaoru lands -- and the Red Tyger was under the impression   
that Lord Miki would do what he could to avoid his folk   
being put into such a circumstance.  
  
Then again, it would be slightly longer than that, as the   
dull throbbing in his left leg reminded him. More then   
likely, he was looking at a number of weeks before his limb   
was healed enough to handle the stress of walking, let alone   
riding on horseback for long periods of time.  
  
"If all goes well," the young noblewoman replied.  
  
"What exactly do you mean?" the elegant chieftain queried,   
raising his eyebrows in curiosity. There was more here to   
be learned, he was certain.  
  
Utena glanced down at her still-intertwined hands. "A year   
ago, on my fourteenth birthday, I had a dream in which I was   
told the time had come to find one worthy of being Love's   
Champion. In that dream, I was shown where to find the way   
to the Rose Arbor, and it was there that I met the Fey who   
cared for the roses that grew there. She told me about the   
quest, the things that needed to be done to find a new   
Champion, then sent me on my way. But she also warned me   
that there were those out there who would do their best to   
see to it that a new Champion wouldn't be found. I was told   
to be careful, to watch my step . . ."  
  
Touga inwardly froze, his startlement hidden deep beneath   
his outwardly relaxed and attentive exterior. Lord Akio was   
apparently searching for this youthful lowlander at the same   
time he was agitating to extend his power further north.   
Those who had attempted to grab Lady Utena from her mount   
had seemingly used magic of some sort to keep themselves   
hidden, both from the party they had attacked as well as,   
presumably, the Kaoru patrols spread throughout that clan's   
homeland. If this Champion gathered to him the benefits of   
the helpful side of Faerie, it would be reasonable to   
believe that someone opposed to finding a new Champion was   
in league with the harmful powers of the Other Side. Was   
that then the deciding factor for the Phoenix to make his   
move now, that he had dark powers at his command? "My lady,   
do you know of any reason why the Ohtori are looking for   
you?"  
  
The slender warrioress blinked, startled by his question.   
Admittedly, she knew of Lord Akio and had seen him on a   
number of occasions in the court of her king along with   
others of his rank, but there were no reasons he could be   
searching for her of which she was aware. Other than   
perhaps an interest in her hand in marriage, she had to   
admit -- the Tenjou lands were extensive and well cared for,   
bringing in quite the income and thus making Utena a   
desirable heiress. Even so, she was legally free to choose   
her own husband by the dictates of her father's will. The   
Ohtori were a clan under the auspices of the fragmented   
northern kingdom; as far as she knew, there were no   
alliances Lord Akio had with any of the nobles among the   
southern lands. "No . . . My father had no alliance with   
him, and there are no plans for me to wed anyone. Granted,   
I could be taken by force -- my holdings could be prize   
enough for an attempt -- but I can think of no legitimate   
reason to be sought out by Lord Akio."  
  
"Do you happen to hold some sort of key to the Rose Arbor in   
Faerie, or can just anyone find the path?" he asked, dark   
azure gaze staring at her intently.  
  
"No, you can't . . . Aye, I have the key, or so I was told,"   
Utena answered, turning slightly pale.  
  
"What's there at the Arbor?" he demanded, the hair on the   
back of his neck rising. If the young maiden held the key   
to this place of magic, it would make sense for the Ebon   
Phoenix, were he one determined to keep a new Champion from   
being discovered, to be searching for the one holding what   
was needed to reach that site.  
  
"The Fey woman who tends the roses. She is the one who will   
determine if a candidate sent to her is worthy of being the   
new Champion of Love," the lowlander noble responded.  
  
Touga frowned, that cold feeling still clinging to him.   
More than likely, Ohtori wished to take the key from the   
young lady and make his way there to the Rose Arbor. If he   
were allied to Unseelie powers, then he probably could cause   
harm to the Fey who would be the one to choose a new   
Champion -- and none of the mortal clans would be able to   
stand against the Phoenix were he to wield darkling magic   
against the highlanders.  
  
A fortnight, and that would be if he were healthy. With   
this wound, how long could they all hold out against one   
that could have black magic on his side? "Lady Utena,   
listen to me. I have reason to believe that the men who   
attacked yesterday were sent by Ohtori. I was told by a   
reliable source that he was searching for you, and I'm   
certain those men were trying to abduct you, not kill you."  
  
"The key," she gasped, looking worried. "Could he be   
someone opposed to the finding of a new Champion?"  
  
"Aye, we should assume that. I fear for all of us. Ohtori   
seems to be readying to war against us while he looks for   
this key you hold. Would that I weren't wounded! It could   
be months before I'm healed enough to attempt this, even   
should you find me worthy to send on."  
  
"My lord," the pink-haired maiden said, giving him something   
of a faint smile, "I have the ability to speed your healing.   
A gift given to me by the tender of the roses in order to   
help with my task, but considering you were wounded on my   
behalf, it seems, and leaves you and yours vulnerable, it's   
only right I should use it on you." Leaning forward, she   
lightly placed her hands over where she knew the wrapped   
wound to be, being careful to not cause more pain by her   
touch. "I know not how swiftly you will heal once I am   
through, though I suspect you will grow more tired than   
usual while it works."  
  
He closed his eyes and leaned hard against the back of the   
chair, grimacing slightly at the twinge of pain even her   
light touch generated. "Any help in this would be   
appreciated," Touga softly admitted, not liking at all the   
thought of having to send out his clansmen to die defending   
their land while he personally would be unable to share in   
their risk should they be forced to fight as summer wore on.   
The grimace faded to a look of mild wonder as her hands on   
his leg seemed to radiate a gentle heat that soothed away   
the ache from the wound. A sense of energy, like the   
radiance of the noontime sun, filled his awareness, making   
him tingle in a not-unpleasant sort of way, a sense that was   
accompanied by one of peace and well-being. That the   
lowlander was using magic was obvious; that the force was   
from the powers helpful to mortals was equally obvious.  
  
For a long moment, all was silent between the two, the   
others in the large room carrying on their various   
conversations. At last, Utena opened her eyes and lifted   
her hands from her redheaded companion's leg, the tingle of   
the magic still noticeable to her even as she felt the warm   
power fade away. "I was told that this would make the   
course of naturally healing take less time, but I was to   
warn anyone I used it on that they should be certain to eat   
well and sleep should they become tired while the wound   
healed."  
  
Touga smiled at her, cobalt-blue eyes opening once more.   
The leg no longer throbbed with pain, and that alone was   
quite the relief. "I'll be certain to take care of myself.   
My thanks, Lady Utena."  
  
She returned his smile. "It's the least I could do."  
________________  
  
The golden rays of the sun, lancing through the broken cover   
of fluffy white clouds high above, were angled toward the   
east when the door to the hunting lodge was rather   
forcefully opened. Everyone present in the large room   
jumped, startled, their minds having been occupied with   
their various amusements. Off in a corner, Tatsuya and   
Wakaba had been holding a low-voiced conversation, the man   
at arms occasionally glancing about and the handmaiden   
working on some embroidery project. A discreet distance   
away from them, Shiori had been working on stitchery as   
well, the sandy-haired Michiyo hovering near her as the   
slender brunette had been flirting with him as she worked on   
her task. As for the pair of nobles, Lady Utena had found a   
Nine Man Morris set tucked away in one of the cupboards   
about the lodge and had challenged the Red Tyger to a game.   
Touga's hand remained poised upon one of the ruby-colored   
glass markers -- they appeared as smooth, oval gems of a   
rich hue, the other markers of the lady being a deep   
cobalt-blue -- as he turned to look at the source of the   
sudden disturbance.  
  
"Lord Touga?" a voice roared out, somehow sounding rather   
concerned, the tone punctuated by the slamming of the solid   
wooden door against the wall. Seemingly filling up the   
portal, a shadowed figure paused there at the entry, violet   
eyes scanning over the room.  
  
The sound made the redheaded chieftain suddenly grin. How   
amusing for his friend to be that concerned despite all the   
anger and jealousy that had marked their relationship since   
their adolescent years. "All's well with us, Saionji," he   
said, swift to reassure the other lord. "There's been no   
signs of trouble at all here this day."  
  
"Good," the verdant-maned noble responded, visibly relaxing,   
his expression of apprehension fading into his usual scowl.   
Stepping inside far enough to allow those who followed him   
into the comfortable setting of the hunting lodge, Saionji   
stopped a number of feet away from where his foster brother   
and the lowlander were sitting, a wooden board with   
concentric squares attached by lines at corners and the   
centers of the squares' sides etched into the varnished   
surface sitting between them. "I've brought enough men to   
secure this lodge while I lead the others back into Kaoru   
territory." Before Touga could respond, Saionji then said,   
"And when I got to Pinehaven, I had something of a surprise   
there."  
  
"What do you mean?" the elegant lord asked, the tone of his   
friend's voice making Touga quite curious. Something was   
amiss, though not a something overly alarming.  
  
"Where's my brother? I want to see my brother! Get your   
worthless hide out of my way!" demanded a somewhat shrill   
and feminine voice from outside. Judging from the increase   
in volume, the source of the voice was rapidly coming closer   
to the entrance into the lodge. A flurry of activity made   
its way through the open door, the emerald-haired man   
beating a hasty retreat to allow in the golden-maned girl.  
  
"Nanami," Touga said, his expression taking on the look of a   
man expecting to need quite a bit of patience in the   
immediate future. Across the wooden game board, Utena   
raised a hand to her lips and concealed an amused smile.   
The redheaded lord appeared to be a man getting ready to   
meet his own untimely demise. However, the rose-haired lady   
couldn't help but be surprised at the other Kiryuu's   
appearance.  
  
The young noblewoman in question rushed past Saionji's tall   
form, her gold- and saffron-colored skirts swirling about   
her as she made her way quickly toward where her brother sat   
in the comfortably-upholstered chair. "My lord! My lord!   
Are you all right? They told me that you were hurt! What   
happened?" Nanami demanded as she crossed the floor.  
  
"I'm fine, Nanami," the Kiryuu prince swiftly replied,   
giving his sister an unconcerned smile despite his surprise   
at seeing her there. "I took an arrow in the leg, but it's   
not a serious injury. However, I need to know something.   
What on Earth are you doing here? Why aren't you back home   
at the keep?"  
  
"An arrow?" the younger noble yelped, her dark violet gaze   
sweeping over her sibling's outstretched legs as if she   
expected to see a pool of blood showing on his trews. "Let   
me see, my lord."  
  
"I'm fine, Nanami," Touga repeated, his voice taking on a   
hint of steel. "It's been looked at and taken care of well,   
so don't concern yourself over it. Just answer my   
questions, please."  
  
"Oh, very well," Nanami huffed, folding her arms over her   
chest. "I'm here because you *weren't* where you said you'd   
be. You're supposed to be at Pinehaven," she complained,   
her voice taking on an accusing tone.  
  
"Saionji was called away for something important and I asked   
to accompany him," the older Kiryuu answered. "But what   
were you doing at Pinehaven in the first place?"  
  
"Well, I got the message requesting the gold, and since it   
seemed like an odd request and it was so much gold in the   
first place, I didn't feel comfortable just sending it with   
one of the men, and I figured that it would be much better   
if I were to take the gold to you since that would mean that   
I knew for sure that you got it like you'd asked," Nanami   
replied, her youthful face still showing her concern for her   
sibling. "So here I was all ready to give you the coin but   
you were *gone*, and that left me just having to wait and   
wait and wait for you to return."  
  
Closing his eyes a moment, Touga held up a hand in a gesture   
for his sister to stop with her explanation. "What did you   
do with the coin, then?"  
  
"Oh, I held onto it until Saionji came home," Nanami began,   
only to have the Verdant Gryphon interrupt.  
  
"It's safely in my treasury, Touga. I explained to your   
sister that you had requested it on behalf of our agreement   
and she turned it over to my custody before we traveled   
here," Saionji said, watching the pair of Kiryuu interact.  
  
"Good," the Red Tyger responded, a smile curling the corner   
of his lips. "Then that's one obligation on its way to   
fulfillment."  
  
"Speaking of obligations," the other highland chieftain   
said, "I'm taking my leave to return to the Kaoru lands. I   
have a full dozen of my men assigned to stay here, and your   
sister's escort's remaining here as well."  
  
"Sounds like we'll be well protected should something   
happen," Touga remarked.  
  
"Are you expecting something to happen?" Nanami asked,   
alarmed.  
  
"No, no, of course not," her brother was swift to reply.   
"However, we *were* attacked, and we don't wish to take any   
chances."  
  
"Touga, I'm going to leave now. I don't want them left to   
the scavengers any longer than necessary," Saionji informed   
his friend, turning and walking toward the door.  
  
"Good luck to you, Saionji," the other lord replied,   
flicking his cobalt-blue gaze to the other man for a moment.   
Once the door shut behind the green-haired noble, Touga   
turned his gaze back to his sister. "Have a seat, Nanami.   
There's a couple of things I need to discuss with you since   
you've made the journey here."  
  
"Oh?" the golden-haired girl said, her expression turning to   
one of concern and curiosity both. As Nanami glanced about   
to search for a chair, Utena gave the other noblewoman a   
looking over. Touga would certainly tell her of the plans   
he had for his sister, but what of the challenge the   
lowlander had set for him? Would he address that as well?   
Wood scraped against wood as the younger Kiryuu spied a   
vacant chair and dragged it over to sit next to the side of   
the board between Touga and Utena. Other sounds swirled   
around them as a number of Saionji and Kiryuu clansmen   
walked into the lodge and took up positions throughout the   
large room, their relaxed banter a low murmur. "What do you   
want to discuss, my lord?" Nanami asked, appearing abruptly   
quite nervous.  
  
"Your future," the scarlet-maned chieftain replied.  
  
Nanami blinked, then all the color drained from her face.   
Leaning forward, she grabbed hold of the sleeve of her   
brother's violet-hued tunic. "No! No, I'm not going to be   
married off! How could you?" she demanded.  
  
"Nanami, please," Touga sighed, his expression becoming   
strained. "You already knew that I would have to look into   
the matter. I told you as much during the spring   
celebration."  
  
"You also said that there'd be no more talk of the future   
then," the Kiryuu princess snapped.  
  
"I meant then. It's another day, dear sister. And I have   
someone in mind for you who has agreed to negotiate a   
contract."  
  
"Who?" Nanami demanded, her anger giving her face color once   
more. "And what are you getting in return? What trinket   
are you getting in exchange for my maidenhead?"  
  
Utena blinked, startled by the younger girl's very frank and   
outspoken question. Quickly glancing at her redheaded   
companion, the lowland warrioress noted that Touga seemed to   
be doing his best to remain patient and in control.  
  
"There's no excuse for such a lack of manners," the Red   
Tyger softly growled, eyes narrowing in displeasure at his   
sibling. "Now, you will comport yourself in a seemly manner   
or you will be removed from my presence and I shall carry   
out negotiations without your input. Do I make myself   
clear?"  
  
Nanami swallowed hard, suddenly intimidated by her brother's   
menacing presence. Lowering her dark violet gaze, she   
turned her head away from him. "Aye, my lord." She'd   
overstepped the boundaries, and the thought of having her   
future decided without her say made her realize that her   
brother was right. Any frank disagreement should be saved   
for a private moment between them, not shouted out in front   
of company and followers alike.  
  
Touga nodded slightly, then reached up with a hand and   
gently pried his sibling's fingers from his sleeve.   
Wrapping his fingers around his sibling's hand, he leaned   
back against the padded chair. "That's better. I truly   
want your involvement in this matter, dear sister, but I   
will not stop the world for you. Now, to answer your first   
question, the 'who' is Lord Kyouichi."  
  
(Saionji?) Nanami blinked. Lifting her head, she stared at   
her brother with a stunned expression on her pretty face.   
For once, she couldn't think of a thing to say in reply; of   
all the possibilities that had flashed through her mind at   
the thought -- all of them had been horrid ones, of   
lecherous old lords or overly-proud younger ones -- none of   
them had been of the emerald-haired youth that had grown up   
with her and her brother. But there was nothing, truly,   
that the Saionji could give her brother in either power or   
land that would compensate him for her loss, so why did her   
brother agree to this?  
  
"Of all those in this world, there's none you know better   
than Saionji," Touga pointed out, still holding his   
sibling's hand. "For the sake of himself, I've released him   
from vassalage. I couldn't continue with him being   
subordinate to me. For your sake, I offered your hand in   
marriage to him."  
  
"But you could have gotten so much in exchange for me -- "  
  
"Aye, but I want to see you happy, Nanami. You're my sister   
after all. And I can't think of anyone better," the wounded   
chieftain replied. "Aye, he needs a lot of work. I see   
that; his temper still gets the better of him now, but if   
anyone can deal with his thoughtlessness, it's you. I have   
faith in you."  
  
The golden-haired girl blinked again, this time tears making   
her dark purple eyes brighter than usual. He had faith in   
her. He was doing his best to find something good for her   
because he'd rather please her than increase his wealth or   
power. "But is this truly the best for the clan?"  
  
"Think about it," Touga gently said. "The Saionji are our   
neighbors. We've had conflict before and a feud that made   
us enemies. This will unite us by blood into kin. Both   
clans can only grow stronger with such a union. They were   
decimated by the feud -- I'm certain you saw the state   
Pinehaven is in -- and they need someone of your skills to   
help them recover their prosperity."  
  
That much was true, Nanami silently agreed, nodding her   
head. They were in a dismal state of affairs, but looking   
back on it, she was certain she could straighten things out   
were she in charge. And her brother did have a point, that   
it would be good for the Kiryuu to turn once-enemies along   
the border into kinfolk obligated to mutually protect one   
another.  
  
"And Saionji needs someone at his side that he can depend   
upon. I can't think of anyone better for him than you."  
  
"Aye, that's true, my lord," the yellow-haired princess   
responded, thinking the circumstances over. "I know I can   
probably manage his household well through the lean times   
he's going through, and he *is* familiar to me. I just   
never thought of him in that manner . . ."  
  
"Do you not like the idea?" Utena softly asked, her sea-blue   
gaze focused upon the other noblewoman.  
  
Nanami frowned, turning to glare at the lowlander that dared   
stick herself into the conversation. "I didn't say that. I   
just never considered being given to him."  
  
"And now that you know you are, what do you think about it?"   
Touga asked.  
  
"Well . . . Truthfully, I don't *hate* the thought," Nanami   
confessed. Saionji was a known factor, a familiar presence   
though he had been sent away a few years ago. He was a   
caring man, brutally honest, easily offended. As a child,   
he'd been subjected to an inferior position and had   
countered it, turning it into something admirable and   
becoming the best friend of one who should have been his   
foe. Much of his brusqueness and negative traits could be   
explained from the circumstances of his childhood; deep   
within, Nanami knew Saionji was a good man despite outward   
appearances. "I suppose I couldn't do much better, though   
being impoverished isn't fun."  
  
"That would depend on what you want, dear sister. If you'd   
rather have riches no matter what the lord is like, I'm   
certain I can find something else for you," the   
scarlet-maned chieftain said. "But you know as well as I   
that once he's won over, Saionji is the most loyal of men.   
And honest. You'll always know what's on his mind."  
  
"Aye, and that's certainly a point in his favor," the other   
Kiryuu responded. "And given enough time and proper   
management, the poverty won't last overly long." No, she'd   
rather have a man she could respect than have all the riches   
in the world and be taken to bed by a horrid man. And   
Saionji could be one to respect, though it would take effort   
to make him drop the worst of his mannerisms.  
  
"I'm certain you can help him with that. So what say you?   
Will you accept this arrangement then?" Touga asked,   
watching her carefully.  
  
Nanami stared back at him, her face slightly pale. No   
matter what, she would be eventually married off. That was   
just the way of the world. That her brother was making an   
attempt to arrange something to please her was a favor that   
he didn't have to perform. It would be either take this or   
reject it for something unknown. She frowned, only to let   
her brother know that she wasn't happy about the fact that   
this was how the world worked. "Aye, I'll accept it. I   
truly think you can't do any better, and since he's   
agreeable as well . . ."  
  
"Thank you, dear sister," the Red Tyger replied, lifting   
Nanami's hand to his lips for a respectful kiss of   
appreciation. He then let her go, turning his attention   
momentarily to his pink-haired companion. Noting that Utena   
was carefully scrutinizing his interaction with his sibling,   
he clamped down hard on the twinge of fear that lanced   
through him. Ever since their conversation that morning,   
nothing more had been said about the trial of Trust or his   
thoughts on turning over the Kiryuu to his sister's   
rulership, yet he was under the impression that he had to   
decide one way or another soon. Deep azure eyes staring   
once more at the yellow-clad princess, Touga gently sighed.   
"When we return to Kiryuu Keep, I'll announce your upcoming   
engagement to everyone. And I have another announcement I   
must make."  
  
"What do you mean?" Nanami asked, her frown deepening.   
Something seemed a bit amiss.  
  
"Nanami, listen to me carefully. This is very important.   
I'm being asked to put my trust in you in order to prove my   
worth for a certain matter," Touga began, meeting her dark   
violet gaze with his own. "For years, you have run my   
household well, and Father made certain that you knew   
something of rulership. I trust you with my life and with   
the lives of those there at Kiryuu Keep, but now . . ."  
  
A sudden sense of apprehension filled the younger   
clanswoman. Though his words made her glow with pride, she   
could tell that whatever he was asked to do made him   
worried, and she didn't like the idea of being a   
disappointment to her wonderful older brother. "Please,   
trust me. I'll do whatever it is you need if this task is   
so important to you. I just agreed to marry Saionji after   
all."  
  
Touga nodded, giving his sibling a smile. "I know, and your   
willingness to accept the agreement makes me happy. But I   
need to turn over rulership of the clan to you for a short   
while."  
  
"Me? Be chieftain?" Nanami asked, astounded. Shaking her   
head slightly as she mentally recovered, she shrugged and   
returned her brother's smile. "Well, that's not so bad. If   
something happens, I can always ask you what to do."  
  
"No, I'm afraid you won't be able to do so. I'm not going   
to be there at the keep for you to ask," Touga responded.  
  
"But . . . why?"  
  
"Your brother needs to be free to claim something, and he   
cannot do so as long as he's tied to his lands," Utena   
replied before the redheaded lord could say something in   
return.  
  
"You," Nanami growled, turning her attention to the   
pink-haired lady. Ever since she showed up riding in on her   
brother's horse, Touga had been acting strangely. "This is   
all your fault, isn't it? Making him look to marry me off   
and now you're taking him away for God knows how long . . ."  
  
"That's enough, Nanami," the Red Tyger said, voice low in   
warning. "I'm doing as I choose in this matter; no one's   
taking me anywhere. However, you must keep your energies   
focused on the chieftainship. Listen to me."  
  
Catching the tone of his voice, the younger Kiryuu glanced   
back at her sibling.  
  
"There's talk of trouble. The Ohtori could be preparing to   
war against the highlands this summer. That's why I went   
with Saionji to talk to the Kaoru," Touga said the moment he   
was certain he had her undivided attention.  
  
"But, if that's the case, then how can you choose to abandon   
the clan to me?"  
  
"It's not abandonment. I have reason to believe that   
completing this task will help us against the Ohtori.   
Besides, you will have all those who advise me there to   
ask," the Kiryuu prince replied. "And the moment I return   
home, I shall retake control. I only expect to be gone   
perhaps a fortnight, perhaps a week more, and I cannot truly   
leave until after I'm healed." Reaching out, he set a hand   
on his sister's shoulder. "You are of the royal blood. You   
have the knowledge and the tools available. And I have   
faith in you. I trust you to lead the clan well." Taking   
his hand from her shoulder, he gently rested it over his   
wounded leg. "Yesterday, Saionji and I were attacked on the   
way here. The arrow only pierced my leg, missing the bone,   
but we lost four Kiryuu to the dastards. Had I taken the   
arrow elsewhere, you could have been permanently the   
chieftain."  
  
The blond noblewoman paled, seeing the truth in his   
statement. She would have been alone then, expected to   
lead, and he would not be there to resume command once this   
other task was done. As Saionji's wife, it would be assumed   
she would stand in for him those times business took him   
elsewhere. Once again, her brother was attempting to do her   
a favor, giving her the opportunity to improve herself   
before some horrid twist of fate forced her into such a   
role. "I understand," she finally said, gently smiling.   
"I'll make you proud of me. I swear."  
  
The determined light in his sister's large eyes made Touga   
faintly smile. So she would try her best. He truly   
expected no less from her. Turning his cobalt-blue gaze to   
Utena, he asked, "When does her rulership begin?"  
  
"Why the hell are you asking her?" Nanami demanded, her   
scathing glance focused on the other woman. "Since when is   
she the one to dictate to you what you should be doing?"  
  
"Enough," Touga growled again, his handsome face showing his   
irritation.  
  
The lowlander looked the pair of siblings over for a moment.   
So he was willing to do as she asked. One step in the right   
direction. And the younger sibling had a point as well.   
"There's no need to do so until you take your leave of your   
folk to make your journey," she replied.  
  
A slight nod, and Utena watched the highland nobleman's   
expression relax. "Very well." His gaze turning to his   
lap, he glanced down at the ring adorning the fourth digit   
of his hand. "When we return home and I'm healed enough to   
travel, then you will become chieftain of the Kiryuu for the   
length of time I'm gone. Again, I expect it to be no more   
then a month at the very outside once I leave, and I hope   
for it to be sooner."  
  
"But what happens if the Ohtori attack while you're gone?"   
Nanami asked, her expression worried as she gazed at her   
wonderful brother.  
  
"I'm certain our people and you will handle it the best you   
can. However, there's no point dwelling upon it before it   
happens," Touga said, his voice sounding slightly weary.   
Fatigue was beginning to claim him, and he idly wondered if   
this wasn't one of the effects of Utena's healing magic.  
  
Nanami blinked, then looked at her sibling. How strange to   
see him suddenly looking so vulnerable, no longer the   
invincible warrior she'd come to expect. (My poor brother,)   
she thought, once more frowning.   
  
"Ladies, please . . . If you could perhaps leave me to rest   
now?" Closing his eyes, Touga turned his head away from the   
two sitting near him. His leg was beginning to hurt again,   
and a strong sense of needing sleep was slowly robbing him   
of consciousness.  
  
Concern crossed Nanami's face; her usually strong and   
healthy sibling now appeared tired and pale. Standing up,   
she gestured to the pink-haired annoyance to rise as well.   
"Come on. He needs to rest up in order to heal."  
  
Utena stood, choosing to ignore the younger Kiryuu's faintly   
rude tone. The Red Tyger had done as she had asked. From   
what she knew of him, he would strive to keep his word.   
Though joyful that he had done as demanded to demonstrate   
his trust, an odd sense of apprehension gripped her. One   
had passed the tasks imposed; now it would be time to   
prepare the way to the winning of the sword. Noting that   
the yellow-clad noblewoman was waiting for her to take her   
leave first, the slender warrioress turned away and began   
walking toward the room given her and her handmaidens. Let   
him rest for now; he was still wounded, and had been quite   
tolerant of her company all day long. He would need his   
strength that night, and she was certain his sudden fatigue   
now was a side-effect of her earlier healing.  
  
Come the darkness, the path would need to be made ready as   
the tender of the Rose Arbor had instructed. 


	13. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve  
  
Late afternoon turned to evening, the golden rays of the sun   
giving way to the star-adorned mantle of the night. Lord   
Touga remained in the chair near the fireplace, sleeping   
deeply as those around him continued on with life. Lady   
Utena and her retinue amused themselves by playing the board   
game discovered earlier by the pink-haired maiden; Lady   
Nanami hovered protectively near her somnolent brother,   
keeping vigilant watch over him and his surroundings; and   
even the call to supper as the darkness deepened didn't   
cause the Kiryuu prince to stir. Nor did the somewhat noisy   
return of Lord Kyouichi and his men disturb Touga; while   
those within the lodge gathered somberly outside to arrange   
respectfully upon the ground the remains of those who had   
fallen, the Red Tyger slept on. The younger Kiryuu noble   
stood in for her sibling as a small prayer was recited and   
the bodies covered over with blankets taken from the   
fortified manor house, for once her demeanor and mood quite   
serious and solemn.  
  
While the others reentered the hunting lodge in respectful   
silence, the Verdant Gryphon directed his clansmen to form   
watches. While one group each remained awake to both guard   
the manor and hold vigil over the fallen, those who would   
relieve them later on would sleep upon the ground nearby.   
Glancing back over her shoulder as she stepped inside, Utena   
smiled as she noted with respect that the emerald-haired   
lord was unpacking his saddlebags after issuing his commands   
in a low voice; Saionji intended to share his warriors'   
circumstances, electing to slumber outside as they would be   
instead of claiming the privilege of rank and spending the   
night in the comfort of the hunting lodge.  
  
The darkness deepened and still Touga slept, the few   
attempts made to rouse him coming to little avail, though he   
did stir just a bit. While Utena and her retinue eventually   
retired to their assigned chamber on their own, it took the   
efforts of the rather concerned escort of Kiryuu warriors to   
make the increasingly worried princess in their charge go to   
bed in the guestroom given for her use. Once that was done,   
the group of Kiryuu clansmen arranged themselves on cots   
near both their sleeping lord and the warmth of the blaze   
glowing cheerfully within the lodge's great stone fireplace.  
  
And as he slept, he dreamed. At first they were images of   
balance and harmony, giving Touga's somnolent mind a sense   
of an unending stretch of time where all was right in the   
world. There was no sorrow, no fear, no uncertainty, and no   
disharmony . . . Then came the shadows, creeping in a   
little at a time. Peace gave way to vigilance . . .  
  
Then he dreamed of illness, a growing sense of imbalance as   
the darkness grew. Fever began to grip him, yet he   
struggled on against the lengthening shadows. Heat,   
weariness, the beginning of a sense of hopelessness . . .   
Cool, gentle hands trying to ease the ravages of the   
sickness, hands belonging to a dusky-skinned woman of   
unparalleled beauty within whom rested a power of light and   
life and health, yet even her ministrations were to little   
avail. The illness continued on, the shadows grew longer   
and darker, and he fought on against them.  
  
The dusky-skinned maiden had been there throughout his   
dream, a gorgeous figure with a long silken mane of straight   
hair the color of deepest violet. He had caught glimpses of   
her all along among the other images, a lovely vision that   
evoked with it love and contentment. She was his equal,   
his foil, and the one constantly at his side in balance.   
And as the illness continued, she was there, doing her best   
to ease the suffering from the fever and weakness.  
  
He dreamed of a sword, as bright as a sun against the   
deepening shadows, the blade reflective silver but the   
sharpest of steel and the golden hilt adorned with blood-red   
rubies, some of which were cut in the shape of hearts. The   
powers of Light and health and balance were focused within   
its length, the weapon becoming the bane to all dark things.   
But even that wasn't enough . . .  
  
A single white rose bloomed in the gathering gloom . . . A   
dark-skinned hand curled around the hilt of the sword . . .   
Desperation filled Touga's sleeping mind, the heat of the   
illness becoming unbearable, and the shining blade lifted   
higher . . . A flash of brightest white and the weapon   
descended upon the snowy flower, cleaving it in two. Two   
roses spun out of the scattered petals of the destroyed   
rose, one blossom royal violet, the other scarlet red. For   
a moment, they hung in the silence of the deepening   
twilight, then they fell away, disappearing into the   
darkness. And as they fell, a sense of something heavy   
filled the highland chieftain's awareness, as if his entire   
body was composed of molten lead, the pull of gravity making   
it hard to breathe . . .  
  
With a frantic gasp and an overpowering sense of panic,   
Touga's mind clawed upward into wakefulness even as his body   
struggled to sit upright. For a timeless moment, the   
sensation of being unable to breathe clung to him; his body   
continued to fight for air until he realized that he was   
indeed awake and that the darkness surrounding him was   
merely the hunting lodge shrouded in nighttime shadow.   
Forcing himself to take a number of deep breaths in order to   
calm his racing heart, he glanced about himself to better   
orient to place and time.  
  
A *pop* from the slowly dying fire and the faint sounds of   
others breathing were all that came to the chieftain's   
hearing. Noting those lost to the land of dreams around   
him, he frowned as he recalled the sense of suffocation that   
had roused him. Then came soft footfalls; long red hair   
swayed gently as he turned to discover the source of the   
noise.  
  
Her feminine curves accented by her silken dress, the white   
cloth rippling smoothly with her movements, the full-cut   
garment gathered about her slender waist by a girdle of   
silver chains adorned with pearls, Utena walked slowly up to   
where Touga sat in the chair. What ambient light there was   
made both her gown and the loose cascade of curly pink hair   
almost glow, and for a moment the young lord thought that he   
was staring at some Fey creature. Recognizing her as she   
drew near, he relaxed and gave her a smile.  
  
Gracefully she knelt, one knee against the floor and the   
flowing skirt of her dress a pool of snowy white around her.   
Comfortably at eye level with him, she returned his smile,   
an expression of relief there in her aqua-colored eyes.   
"'Tis good to see you among the living, my lord," she   
whispered, not wanting to awaken those of his clan sleeping   
nearby. "We tried to rouse you but could only make you stir   
in your slumber. How are you feeling?"  
  
He took a moment to assess his current state of being,   
carefully moving his injured leg. Already his breath and   
his heart had slowed to near normal, and the throbbing in   
his wounded limb had abated slightly. Moving it no longer   
gave any sharp twinges of pain, though he was suddenly quite   
aware of a couple of sources of discomfort -- the most   
urgent of which was a ravenous hunger. "I'm starving, my   
lady," he whispered in response. "And I need to take   
another trip to the garderobe."  
  
Utena nodded, rising as gracefully as she had knelt. "I'll   
help you if you need it, my lord," she offered. "Once   
you've relieved yourself, there's food to be had in the   
kitchen."  
  
"Welcome news, that," he responded, pushing himself up from   
the confines of the well-padded chair. Though his leg was   
certainly feeling better and he was able to bear more of his   
weight upon it, he still found himself having to lean   
against the lowlander's willowy form for support. They   
remained in silent companionship as Utena lead him toward   
the doorway to the facilities, but once he emerged from the   
small chamber and wrapped an arm around the white-clad   
maiden's waist, he softly asked, "Why are you awake at such   
an hour, my lady?"  
  
"You have passed the six challenges I have given you,   
proving to me your capacity to hold dear the virtues of   
Amor," Utena answered, continuing to whisper into the   
darkness. "The time has come to give you the key to the   
Rose Arbor." She paused in her speech while they made their   
way toward the archway opposite the garderobe, their   
footfalls muffled by the large patterned carpet that covered   
the center of the lodge's main room's wooden floor. "I was   
also worried about you," she added before he could continue   
the conversation, "as was everyone else, including the   
Saionji warriors."  
  
"I hope Nanami hasn't fretted herself into a fitful sleep,"   
Touga said, knowing how concerned his sibling must have   
been.  
  
"I tried to reassure her that you would be fine once you   
awoke on your own, but she wouldn't believe me," the   
rose-haired girl responded, frowning slightly. "Your   
clansmen had to practically march her off to bed."  
  
The scarlet-maned lord merely smiled at the news of his   
sister's reluctance. But mention of the younger Kiryuu made   
his thoughts turn to someone else almost as dear.   
"Saionji?"  
  
"He's keeping watch outside with his men, who are both   
guarding the lodge as well as holding vigil over the   
fallen." Utena's voice held a note of sorrow; somehow she   
would need to send Ryu's body home to his mother. "They   
were able to bring back everyone, though the animals had   
gotten to them."  
  
"At least there's been no additional trouble," the Red Tyger   
commented, quite relieved to hear that his foster brother   
had returned safely. Still, the target had seemed to be the   
girl that was even now helping him into the kitchen. That   
those who were left behind in the hunting lodge had passed   
the day in peace was more then likely pure luck then skill;   
word must not have gotten back quite yet that the band of   
warriors had failed.  
  
"Aye, at least," Utena responded, guiding the tall nobleman   
over to a small round table and a pair of chairs arranged   
next to the massive stone fireplace that dominated one wall   
of the kitchen. True to custom, the fire was still going, a   
small kettle hanging over the low flames from a movable iron   
hook attached to the interior surface of the gaping   
fireplace. Once her companion had taken a seat, the young   
maiden took a moment to toss a couple more pieces of wood on   
the fire before turning to look at him. "Wait here, my   
lord, and I shall bring you something to eat. Once your   
hunger has abated, then I shall do what needs to be done to   
open the path to the Rose Arbor."  
  
"Very well." Settling back into the chair and noting that   
this one wasn't nearly as comfortable as the other, the   
highland chieftain kept his deep azure gaze focused on the   
other noble as she gathered up the leftovers from their   
earlier supper.  
  
Slices of cheese and cured meats, along with slabs of bread   
baked that afternoon, had been set aside for the redheaded   
lord but had remained untouched while he had slept. Picking   
up the wooden platter, Utena retraced her steps and set the   
dish down on the table. "There's vegetable stew in the   
pot," she explained as she picked up a wrought-iron hook and   
deftly snagged the hanging kettle from its perch over the   
fire.  
  
Taking a moment to offer his thanks in between mouthfuls,   
Touga turned his attention fully toward the food. The   
hunger he felt burning there in the pit of his stomach was   
unlike any he'd ever experienced before -- more intense, as   
if he'd gone without eating for days on end. Considering   
that he knew that wasn't the case, he had to figure that it   
was another side effect of the healing, just as the   
unusually deep sleep had been. When Utena returned with a   
wooden bowl full of the delicious-smelling stew, he nodded   
in appreciation and kept his focus on eating.  
  
Settling in the chair opposite him, the slender warrioress   
was content to watch him in silence as he broke his fast.   
So here was the first to pass the challenges . . . All the   
others had been lords as well, for it was stressed that the   
champion was one of princely demeanor and experience, one   
mystically wedded to the land. Many she had thought would   
pass had stumbled upon one challenge or another. Some were   
stingy, while others couldn't swallow their pride. Still   
others had little mercy in their souls or wouldn't justly   
defend someone who deserved it. All were ones approached   
because she thought she saw within them what she was   
searching for; for just over a year, she had been traveling   
ever northward, observing then testing, only to have to move   
onward.  
  
A deep melancholy settled over her as she turned her   
thoughts to possibly having the tender of the roses reject   
Lord Touga. Though she had only been in his company a few   
days, she was aware of a growing fondness. Should he not be   
the one, it would be hard to walk away from the man she'd   
come to know. And yet any thought she turned back to the   
now-hazy memory of receiving the ruby-adorned brooch of the   
fallen Champion made the old, familiar determination and   
urgency to fulfill her quest return. She had made a promise   
she would keep.  
  
The worst of the hunger satiated, Touga slowed his   
consumption and lifted his gaze once more to the beautiful   
noblewoman. "So, my lady, what must be done to open the   
way?" he asked, voice low.  
  
"The key must be made to work for you," Utena began   
explaining, lowering her aquamarine gaze to her lap.   
"Otherwise you would be unable to open the gateway guarding   
the entrance."  
  
An entry into a Faerie place . . . "More magic then, my   
lady?"  
  
"Aye," she replied, her voice now a whisper.  
  
Touga merely nodded as he silently bit down on a slice of   
the sharp-tasting cheese. The ways of Faerie were often   
mysterious, beyond the comprehension of mere men. That this   
champion seemed invested with the beneficial powers of the   
Unseen only led the highlander to expect that the process   
surrounding the choice of a new wielder would be rife with   
magic.  
  
"I was told that should I find one whose heart was in accord   
with the virtues of Amor, then I would need to have the   
Champion's symbol taste the blood of the hand that would   
wield Love's Honor," the lowlander maiden added, her hands   
fumbling with something in her lap.  
  
(Taste the blood?) the elegant nobleman mentally queried,   
scarlet eyebrows rising in an expression of intense   
curiosity. "The Champion's symbol?" Touga asked aloud,   
attention now fully on the girl sitting across the table.  
  
"This . . ." Utena responding, lifting a hand up so that it   
was once more visible to her redheaded companion. Cupped in   
the palm was a round brooch of exquisite workmanship, the   
edge of the knotwork-adorned metal lined with glimmering red   
stones, the center of the disk decorated with a cross   
composed of four heart-shaped rubies arranged with their   
points to the center. "Just as you wear the signet ring of   
the Kiryuu as their prince, so does the Champion wear the   
symbol of his blessed position."  
  
He stared in awe at the piece of jewelry, wide-eyed. Aye,   
it was a gorgeous piece of work, but even its physical   
beauty wasn't enough to explain the tingle of familiarity   
that crawled down his spine at the sight of it. Dismissing   
the sensation, he focused instead on another thought:   
without a doubt, this must have been the true target of the   
Ebon Phoenix. "And how do you mean to have it 'taste the   
blood' of my right hand?" Touga finally asked, cobalt-blue   
gaze still focused on the golden brooch. Given her words,   
his best guess would be that something would need to be done   
to that particular member.  
  
Utena continued to evade his gaze as she deftly flipped the   
golden object over, exposing the reverse side of the disc.   
Unlike the obverse, the metal here was plain, showing only   
the smooth surface and the fastener that would keep the item   
secure upon someone's clothing. Setting the brooch down on   
the table, the young noblewoman fiddled with the catch,   
releasing the pin and swinging it upward. Three inches of   
glimmering gold pointed skyward like some slender, miniature   
sword. "You will need to stab the pin through your hand, my   
lord," she softly said.  
  
Touga blinked, startled. Though expecting to perhaps   
scratch himself open with the sharp point, hearing that he   
must drive the length of the pin into his hand was something   
unforeseen. "And there's no other way?"  
  
"No. Without doing so, the brooch won't be attuned to you,   
and you will be unable to pass through the gates," the   
rose-haired maiden replied.  
  
As he continued to stare at it, the gleaming sliver of gold   
seemed to take on a somewhat sinister air. Granted, he had   
taken far worse wounds in his years of training and then in   
defense of self and clan -- the arrow through his leg being   
the most recent such injury -- yet knowing that there was   
some sort of magic involved gave him pause for thought. "A   
little wound . . ." he murmured out loud, an unconscious   
effort to reassure himself. "And if Ohtori truly has the   
power of the Unseelie on his side . . ."  
  
"Do -- do you think that's the case?" Utena queried, her   
voice with a note of worry.  
  
"Those men who attacked appeared to come from the very air,   
and there was no mention of a force of strangers within the   
Kaoru lands. I'm certain Lord Miki would have warned   
Saionji and myself were they aware of it," Touga answered,   
lifting his gaze once more to his companion's visage.   
"Magic surrounds your quest, and defines it. The Phoenix   
wants this key you hold. I can only assume it is to stop   
one from obtaining use of the Seelie power promised the new   
Champion. Either he wishes it for himself -- and if so, and   
he's aware you hold the key, why has he not approached you   
about taking your challenges? -- or he is in league with   
those forces opposite to what the Champion wields." The   
redheaded chieftain shook his head slightly. "No, for the   
good of all involved, I must assume Ohtori has agreed to be   
the tool of those who would see there is no new Champion,   
just as I have agreed to try to be the tool of those who   
wish there to be one again."  
  
At the use of the word "tool", the lowlander maiden frowned,   
then looked away from the elegant man across the table from   
where she sat. "Such a harsh way of stating it, my lord . .   
."  
  
"Lady Utena . . ." Waiting for her to glance at him again,   
he leaned forward when she did so and gently cupped her chin   
with his hand. "I apologize if you think my words mean that   
I'm belittling both your quest and what it means to become   
the Champion of Amor. I'm truly not, but it's always best   
to see things as they really are. The Fey are beyond the   
knowledge of us mortals; their morality and their goals   
aren't the same as ours, and they do use us for both good   
and ill."  
  
She met his gaze once more, noting the earnest expression on   
his handsome face. He seemed to know much about the world   
and its workings from what she could tell from her   
observations, another trait that appealed to her. He was a   
good prince, able to anticipate danger and keep it from   
harming those in his care. And she could see in his deep   
azure eyes that he wanted this, not for himself but for his   
people because he knew it would further their chances to   
remain safe, healthy and happy.  
  
But first, he must do this and be accepted by the woman who   
tended the roses.  
  
And how she'd like to be kissed by him, the slender   
warrioress realized as she became aware of how close they   
were to one another, each leaning over the table, his hand   
warm against her chin. Blinking, she pulled back, blushing   
faintly. She needed to conduct the ritual she was   
instructed to perform, not remain sitting here mooning over   
the beautiful man who had passed her challenges. Leaving   
the brooch there on the wooden planks of the round table,   
Utena gracefully stood. "If you're done with your meal . .   
.?"  
  
A hint of a smile crossed the highlander's face; he'd caught   
the glimmer of interest there in her sea blue eyes. Leaning   
back slightly as well, he nodded. "Aye, I'm finished."  
  
"Are you ready to do this, my lord?"  
  
His dark blue gaze shifted to the slender needle of gold,   
the orange light of the fire reflected along its length. To   
put it off would only heighten the hesitation. Aye, it   
would hurt -- and with magic involved, there could be more   
than the pain -- but there was no other way, and to succeed,   
he would need to pass through this gate. "Aye," he softly   
breathed, doing his best to quell the growing nervousness   
within.  
  
Utena nodded, then began gathering up the dishes from the   
table, the firelight reflected in the highlights of her   
loose, flowing, curly hair. This place would work, being   
away from where the others slept, a quiet corner of the   
lodge more than likely not invaded by the rest of those in   
the area. "Make yourself as comfortable as you can, then.   
Close your eyes and relax, taking deep breaths. The first   
thing I must do is prepare the area."  
  
Her footsteps faded into the distance as Touga sought to do   
as she had asked. Back against the sturdy wooden chair, he   
focused his awareness on his breathing, making his   
inhalations and exhalations long and steady while he emptied   
his mind of all thought. The wound in his left leg twinged   
for a moment, forcing him to shift position and move the   
injured limb, but once he was settled, all he noticed was   
the slowness of his breathing and the gentle beat of his   
heart.  
  
They were waiting there where she had left them, on the   
long, rectangular table used by the cooks to prepare the   
food served. One of the objects was a small thurible, a   
delicate silver ball of filigree that could be opened and   
hung from a delicate chain of silver links; inside already   
was the small disk of charcoal and dried herbs to be used   
for the incense of the ritual. The other object was a   
shallow silver dish made in the shape of a scallop shell,   
tiny white grains of precious salt covering the interior   
surface. Both items had been given to her by the   
violet-haired Fey woman who cared for the roses, along with   
the instructions with how to proceed.  
  
Picking up a small ewer of water, Utena carefully poured   
some of the liquid into the silver dish. Setting it down,   
she gently stirred the salt and water with an index finger   
until the granules were dissolved. Continuing to cradle the   
silver object in her hand, she picked the thurible up by its   
chain and retraced her steps. Coming near where her   
scarlet-haired companion sat, she looked him over while she   
set the dish down on the table near where the Champion's   
brooch rested. He seemed quite relaxed sitting there, eyes   
closed and face expressionless. Nodding in satisfaction,   
Utena turned and drew near to the fireplace, crouching down   
to dangle the filigree ball over the dancing flames. The   
tongue of fire licked over the silver wire, igniting the   
charcoal within; she swiftly rose to keep the fire from   
consuming the incense itself.  
  
Noting that the thurible was emitting a small curl of   
sweet-smelling smoke, the rose-haired maiden took up a   
position behind the sitting lord. "To protect us both from   
perhaps hostile powers attracted to this moment, I shall now   
create a shield around us. First with Fire and Air, I   
consecrate this space and those within." Her actions   
explained, Utena slowly paced around the table, gently   
swinging the filigree censer before her. Hearing focused on   
the measured footfalls of her slow walk, Touga became aware   
of the sweet scent of the slightly pungent smoke. Once her   
circuit was complete, she halted just to the side of the   
highlander and swung the thurible around him, letting the   
bluish-white ribbon of incense curl over his tall form.   
"Hold out your right hand," Utena softly demanded.  
  
Opening his eyes but being sure to remain in the same   
relaxed, thoughtless state he had achieved, the Red Tyger   
did as he was asked. Already the scent was having an   
effect; he was feeling somewhat detached from everything as   
he lifted his hand into the air. He watched dispassionately   
as the smoke tickled across his skin and continued on to   
rise toward the heavens while the white-clad maiden held the   
censer under the appendage. That done, Utena carefully set   
the silver filigree ball down at the center of the round   
table; the burning charcoal disk and herbal incense were   
perched upon a solid platform within, keeping the heat from   
being dangerous along the bottom of the openwork sphere.  
  
She picked up the silver dish, resting it in the palm of her   
left hand. Again taking up a position behind the elegant   
nobleman, she dipped the fingers of her other hand into the   
salted water. "With Earth and Water, I consecrate this   
place and those within," she said, her voice low in the   
darkness. Once again she made her stately circuit around   
the table, this time flicking drops of the liquid from the   
dish before her. With each measured step, she dipped her   
hand into the water, flung the droplets from her digits and   
then took her next step.  
  
The water was slightly cold where it landed upon Touga's   
exposed skin; he could feel the other drops splattering   
against clothing and hair. Her circle completed, the   
lowlander had once again halted next to him, this time   
intending to purify him with the physical symbols of the   
other two Elements. Assuming that this would be a   
reflection of the first pair of Elements, he held out his   
right hand once more when Utena finished flicking droplets   
over the length of his body. More of the salty liquid was   
flicked onto the offered hand before Utena leaned over and   
set the dish down next to the still smoking thurible.  
  
The slender noblewoman drew back once more; before she   
disappeared from his sight, Touga noticed her pulling from   
its leather sheath -- which was fastened to her girdle of   
silver links and pearls -- the slim dagger with which she   
normally ate. The swish of white silk was heard as she   
stood behind him for a third time. "With this blade, I cast   
the ward. None shall pass this path I carve in place and   
time." Raising the knife before her, point skyward, she   
kissed the flat of the blade then lowered her arm. The   
point now facing to the wooden floor, Utena circled around   
the table and the seated nobleman for a third pass, this   
time walking backwards, the dagger trailing in her steps.   
In her wake, she could see a silvery trail of faint light   
there on the floor where the knife had already passed.  
  
The moment the circle was complete, the rose-maned girl   
stepped inward, within the area embraced by the pale ring of   
light. Her slender form next to Touga's chair, she   
carefully set her dagger down next to the other two objects   
in the center of the table. "We stand in a place between   
all places. We exist in a time beyond all times. We are   
safe and protected within the Four made One." At the final   
syllable of her softly intoned words, faint silver radiance   
sprung up around them, forming a dome that held them within   
itself. The strangest thing about the warding shield Touga   
discovered was that no matter what part of it he looked at   
straight on, it seemed to not be visible, yet he could see   
the gentle glow of the magic from the corner of his eye and   
sense it surrounding him.  
  
However, his attention was swiftly turned away to something   
else. Slim fingers carefully picking up the ruby-adorned   
gold brooch, Utena straightened and then fished out a small   
vial from the gray leather pouch slung from her belt -- more   
then likely, that was where she had kept the Champion's   
brooch until she had shown it to him. Pulling the cork from   
the container, she dipped the sharply pointed pin of the   
piece of jewelry into the dark contents. "The tender of the   
Rose Arbor told me that this liquid would keep the wound   
made by the brooch from becoming corrupted," she explained   
while withdrawing the pin. For a moment, a drop of   
something as black as night hung there from the golden   
point, then it fell into the vial from whence it had come.   
Replacing the stopper, she dropped the small container into   
her pouch once more, then held out the brooch to her   
companion. "You know what you are to do. To unlock the   
gate and open the path to the roses, you must stab the   
Champion's brooch through your sword hand."  
  
Touga nodded, his expression somber. A simple thing, yet   
not so easily done. Taking the metallic object into the   
grasp of his left hand, he curled long fingers over the   
disk. Sure of his hold, he stared for a moment at the thin   
spike of gold jutting outward from the back of the brooch.   
The instinct to keep oneself intact was a strong one; to   
deliberately wound himself went against that, making him   
hesitate. Yet there was no other way. If he could not make   
the key work for himself, then he would be unable to reach   
the Faerie place and be judged. Ohtori would then make his   
move, bolstered by the dark powers, while Utena continued   
on, looking for one that held the virtues of Love in his   
heart and could perform this simple task. And he and his   
quite mortal people would be at risk.  
  
Shifting his position slightly, the Red Tyger lightly rested   
his right palm against the surface of the circular table.   
Flattening his hand, he extended the tip of his left index   
finger from his hold on the brooch and pressed down on the   
back of his other hand, searching for a place between the   
bones. If he were to do this, it would be better to make it   
an injury of the flesh. Discovering what felt to be a   
viable location, he moved his left hand to hover above his   
right, the point of the golden pin resting against the   
unbroken skin over his chosen place. (A bit of force, just   
so, and it will be done . . .)  
  
He could not keep the detached calmness. Adrenaline rushed   
through him, his heart pounding; tiny beads of sweat dotted   
his beautiful face as he held the sharp point against the   
skin. In its way, this was worse than the arrow he took in   
his leg -- at least with that injury, he didn't know it was   
coming. This one, he knew its source. All of reality   
narrowed down to the tension of his grip on the ruby-adorned   
gold and to the feel of the pin against his hand -- and of   
the pair of aquamarine eyes staring at him, watching and   
waiting.  
  
Touga sucked in a breath, then suddenly bore down on the   
brooch with the whole of the force of his left arm. The   
scarlet-haired man's breath came out in a violent exhale at   
the sharp pain that lanced through his hand; he gasped as   
the golden pin hit the unyielding solidity of the wooden   
table underneath, the jarring sensation making the wound   
flare in even more agony. Lifting the injured member high   
enough to confirm that the length of the pin had indeed   
passed through the flesh -- the crimson-stained point was   
clearly visible jutting out from the surface of the palm --   
he then closed his eyes tightly and yanked the brooch   
upward. Blood still clinging to the slender, three-inch   
shaft, the Champion's symbol seemed to glow with an inner   
light not there before, the rubies glimmering with a deep   
red light. Touga would have dropped it to the table in the   
next instant had something not distracted him.  
  
Utena watched, her breath still caught in her throat, as the   
highland lord made ready to release his hold on the piece of   
jewelry. His elegant form then stiffened, the expression   
shifting to a grimace of pain to one of confused wonder.   
The cobalt-blue eyes remained shut even as he seemed to   
slowly relax, caught up in something only he was   
experiencing.  
  
The burning stab swiftly faded away as a bright light seemed   
to fill his mind's eye. A vision came to him, of a great   
massive stone gateway, the pattern of a giant rose carved   
upon its pink-veined white surface. Even as the image   
seared itself into his memory, Touga got the sense that this   
place lay to the northeast, in the depths of the wild   
forests not far from the lands of the Golden Panther. Then   
the gateway opened, the massive stone rising upward as two   
wrought-iron gates slid past one another, revealing behind   
them a winding staircase covered in deep green foliage and   
rose blossoms. Like the entry, the stairs were made of   
pink-veined white marble, the banisters supporting climbing   
roses in a rainbow of colors. Climbing upward and   
zigzagging through the dense evergreen forest, the stairs   
seemed to reach for the sky. He soared upwards along them,   
scaling them far faster then he knew he could by walking,   
the deep green forest and riot of flowery colors a blur. At   
the top of the stairs, he passed through a shattered stone   
archway, emerging in a place that seemed to be a sea of   
roses. In the center of it all stood a single figure clad   
in a red the same hue as the flowers that surrounded her,   
her long, straight, violet hair rippling in the playful   
breeze that set the roses to dancing. Seemingly noticing   
him there, the dark-skinned maiden smiled -- her visage was   
that same breathtaking beauty he had seen in his earlier   
dream -- and she held out her arms to him.  
  
In a twinkling of an eye, the distance between them   
disappeared. "At last," the mysterious maiden said the   
moment he was near, "you've come. I've been waiting for   
you." Before he could formulate some sort of reply, she   
took his right hand in hers, her dusky skin dark in   
comparison to his fair coloring, and looked down at it. Her   
brow furrowed as she took notice of the twin punctures; she   
raised the palm of his hand to her lips. Petal soft, they   
kissed him where the pin had exited from his hand, the   
throbbing pain suddenly gone as a warm feeling of   
*rightness* washed over him. Still feeling the brush of her   
lips against his skin, he watched as everything began to   
fade away, falling down a deep, dark tunnel. "Return to me   
and claim what is yours," he thought he heard the   
violet-haired beauty say even as the sense of being once   
more within his own body reasserted itself.  
________________  
  
In the depths of the night, a lone figure stood on the   
heights of the brooding stone fortress, head tilted back,   
the silken strands of his long, pale lavender hair tossed   
about by the passing breeze. High above in the dark velvet   
vault of the sky, the stars shone like brilliant jewels.   
Normally, he would stare up at the tantalizing patterns, his   
emerald gaze sweeping over the majestic sight, but for now,   
something else was on his mind.  
  
The key was out there, along with the innocent girl drawn to   
the place and time to take possession of the key.  
  
He had yet to hear from those he had sent to capture girl   
and key. The time was right; his base of power   
consolidated. He would be able to sweep over the land and   
extend his influence over all that he saw, and love was what   
had made it possible. (How ironic,) he mentally chuckled,   
the hint of a smile curling over his expressive lips. Then   
the expression faltered as he brought to mind that all he   
could achieve here was only a splintered fragment of how it   
had once been. (How limiting the flesh. No matter. Soon,   
I shall have what I need to bypass even that.)  
  
Soft footfalls sounded against the windswept stones.   
Clutching a woolen cloak tight about her willowy form,   
covering up as much as she could of her chemise of palest   
green cloth, a pretty woman made her way over to where the   
stunningly handsome, dusky-skinned man stood near the   
embattlements. The cool breeze tossed about her pale   
yellow-green locks and ruffled the fabric of her clothing.   
Seeing him there, her visage took on an expression of   
melancholy exasperation. Once again here he was gazing up   
at the stars instead of being in bed with her where he   
belonged. Doing her best to not sigh in frustration, she   
halted a couple of paces from the man and looked him over.  
  
Beautiful in a decidedly masculine way, his body put   
together flawlessly and well-toned by exercise and his   
continued practice in the arts of war, there were times she   
believed all the whispers of her mysterious husband as being   
one of the Fey. Certainly there were few mortal men of her   
acquaintance with skin and hair of those tones or possessing   
such keen intelligence and a knowledge of the way of the   
world. As she stood there, she couldn't help but wonder if   
he was something more than he seemed to be -- especially   
given his apparent fascination with the stars high above.   
Regardless, he was certainly wonderful when he was paying   
attention to her, and the clan had prospered ever since he   
had become their chieftain.  
  
"Akio?" she softly asked, uncertain of her reception. "Is   
everything all right?"  
  
"Aye, beloved Kanae," he responded, lowering his head and   
turning enough to focus his emerald gaze upon her. Giving   
his wife a smile meant to reassure her, he took one of her   
hands in his own and gave the back of it a lingering kiss.   
"Everything's just fine."  
  
Relaxing slightly, the Ohtori heiress tentatively returned   
her husband's smile, though she felt somewhat disappointed   
in the answer. "If everything's well, then why are you up   
here in the middle of the night? The cold air -- "  
  
"Won't harm me in the slightest, my love," Akio was swift to   
answer, interrupting her. Glancing upwards, he added, "I   
felt like looking at the stars."  
  
(Always the stars,) she silently complained, her expression   
turning only faintly sadder instead of reflecting her   
frustrated turmoil within. Wrapping her fingers around the   
dark hand still holding hers, she tugged gently at him.   
"Come to bed, my lord. Please? It's very late." (I don't   
want to be alone yet again . . .)  
  
He stood his ground, her slender form and graceful strength   
not enough to move him unless he so wished. Emerald eyes   
alight with faint amusement, he watched as she tried to get   
him to move. Such a delicate flower, this one, this regal   
lily through which he had garnered wealth, power and   
prestige. All were needed to win back for himself what he   
deserved, lost when he was thrust into the world. Still, he   
should be rather grateful for what Kanae had allowed him to   
achieve. "As you wish," he softly murmured, still amused at   
her determined but ineffectual attempt.  
  
Hearing his acquiescence, she gave him a happy, relieved   
smile and let go of his hand. Stretching upwards, she gave   
him a kiss of gratitude, then turned and walked off, certain   
that he would follow close on her steps.  
  
Indeed, the Ebon Phoenix started forward with every intent   
to return to the marital bed, only to halt before he even   
took a step as the overwhelming presence of *something*   
flooded his senses. The star-spattered night, the stone   
parapet of the ancient fortress, the slender figure of his   
pretty wife -- all of it faded away in a sudden nothingness.   
Blinking in astonishment, he became aware of an image that   
coalesced to an almost real solidity, of a massive slab of   
pink-veined marble sliding upwards, the iron bars of an   
inner gate sliding past one another. Metal creaked and   
stone ground, the sound of rushing water accompanying the   
movement. Caught by surprise, Akio staggered back; so   
caught up was he in the vision that he didn't feel the cold   
granite of the tower's embattlements against the backs of   
his legs.  
  
There was only one thing such an image could mean. The way   
to the Rose Arbor was open.  
  
Not hearing her spouse's footsteps behind her, Kanae turned,   
a hand brushing her pale, windswept hair from her face.   
Seeing the tall form of the Ohtori prince up against the   
battlements, his body rigid and his face staring in wonder   
at something only he could see, the young heiress felt a   
chill of dread run down her spine. What was happening? Was   
there something beyond the mortal realm at work? Was he   
going to somehow fall over the edge? "Akio?" she called   
out, her voice reflecting her fright. "Please come away   
from there." Uncertain of his ability to hear her, she   
dashed over to his side and tried once more to tug him back   
towards the doorway into the fortress's interior. "Please .   
. .?"  
  
(So, a contender for the Champion's power has been found . .   
.) That obviously meant that those sent to fetch the brooch   
and the innocent girl holding it had failed. Still, this   
development opened up new avenues to achieve his goals.   
Body still held in rapture at the now-fading vision, he   
lowered his head; as his pale lavender hair slid forward, he   
softly chuckled.  
  
The sound was a strange one, as was the fact that he   
remained unmoving next to her. Her large eyes focused upon   
his beloved face, her yellow-green hair once again ruffled   
by the nighttime breeze, an even more worried expression   
crossed her pretty visage. "What's happening? What's the   
matter?" she insisted, her unease at the unusual situation   
growing. Once again, she thought of all the rumors about   
her husband actually being more than a mere mortal. Perhaps   
it was true . . .?  
  
"Everything's just fine, my beloved Kanae," he softly   
reassured her as his awareness returned to reality once   
more, bending over just enough to give his wife a lingering   
kiss. Sensing her growing relaxation, Akio gently   
disengaged himself from both the affectionate gesture and   
her embrace. Closing the distance between the gray stone   
embattlements and the entrance into the upper story of the   
tower in long-legged strides, the Ebon Phoenix rushed   
forward, wanting to confirm something.  
  
Still somewhat confused, though feeling a bit happier at   
seeing her dear husband apparently once more his normal   
self, the Ohtori heiress trailed along after him, clutching   
her clothing tight about herself again. Through the silent   
corridors they walked; the rest of the household was lost to   
sleep this far into the night. Even the pair of servants   
snoring away in their pallets in the antechamber of the   
royal couples' bedchamber didn't stir as the two nobles   
returned to their spacious and richly furnished room.   
Tapestries lined the walls -- many depicting scenes from a   
unicorn hunt -- insulating the room from the weather, as did   
the sturdy rug brought back from the mysterious Orient that   
lay upon the floor. The mahogany bed was draped with silk   
brocade curtains of muted, dark shades, while equally   
comfortable bedclothes in pale green covered the mattress.   
In the fireplace, the last of the coals were fading to cold   
grayness, but Akio noticed that his mortal spouse had left a   
number of candles burning. How touching of her to keep them   
from returning in the darkness.  
  
Hesitating at the bedchamber's door, Kanae leaned against   
the stone wall as she kept her gaze of deepest emerald upon   
her husband's magnificent form; that shade of red his tunic   
was certainly went well with his unusual coloring. How much   
she loved him -- though sometimes, like just moments passed,   
she feared him in equal measure. Though she'd like to just   
return to bed and snuggle up against him, she was hesitant   
in disturbing him when it was obvious his attention was   
elsewhere.  
  
Akio walked over to a low table against the chamber's wall.   
In the light of the candles sitting there on the surface of   
the piece of oaken furniture, the dusky-skinned lord reached   
out and picked up the brooch sitting there. The metal was   
dark, like tarnished silver, and the stones ringing the edge   
as well as the cross of heart-shaped gems in the center --   
points facing outwards toward the edge -- were as black as   
jet. A dark reflection of the Champion's brooch, Akio could   
see that the one he held seemed to thrum with power. He   
grinned then, an expression that didn't quite reach his   
emerald green eyes. "At last," he softly murmured, staring   
into the black depths of the heart-shaped stones.  
  
Ah, yes. This made many things different. Time to rethink   
his plans.  
________________  
Opening his eyes, Touga sat there for a moment still lost in   
the wonder of it all. In the back of his mind, he could   
sense in what direction the stone gate lay from where he was   
now, and he idly mused upon the possibility of being able to   
always tell where that object was. (And the tender . . .   
She was the same as in my dream . . .)  
  
"Touga? My lord? Are you all right?"  
  
The gentle, but worried, voice of the lowlander broke   
through his thoughts. Blinking, he turned his attention to   
the rose-haired maiden and gave her a reassuring smile.   
"I'm fine, my lady." Recalling the kiss of the dark-haired   
Fey on his hand, he slowly raised the injured member and   
glanced at it. "More than fine," he softly added, low voice   
holding a note of astonishment.  
  
The puncture wounds were gone. Blood still stained his hand   
both front and back, showing where he had driven the pin   
through the flesh, but of the holes themselves, they were   
gone. A startled expression on his face, he held his hand   
out for Utena to see for herself. Blinking, Utena dipped   
her finger in the salted water in the silver dish, then   
wiped the wet finger over the bloodstain. Underneath, the   
skin was whole, healed. "Amazing," she commented. Lifting   
her aquamarine gaze to meet his once more, she asked, "What   
about the leg?"  
  
"The leg?" he echoed, startled. Abruptly curious, he   
tentatively moved the limb in question -- and felt no twinge   
of pain save for a sharp pull where the stitches were.   
Glancing at his companion a moment, he pushed up from the   
chair and stood, then took a couple of steps when he   
realized his leg could support his weight. Certainly the   
stitches pulled with the movement, but otherwise he could   
walk normally once again. "I think she healed everything   
amiss with me," he finally ventured, sounding somewhat awed.  
  
"She?" Utena asked, raising her eyebrows in a gesture of   
curiosity.  
  
Touga nodded, then settled down in the wooden chair once   
more, recounting to the lowlander noble what he saw in those   
moments after stabbing himself with the Champion's brooch.   
"Even now, I can roughly tell in what direction I must   
travel to reach the stone gateway I saw."  
  
"What you saw is what you will find beyond the Rose Gate,"   
Utena began, smiling. "The stairs covered by roses, the sea   
of flowers that the tender watches over, and the tender   
herself. She will be the last one to decide if you are   
worthy, for she is the one that holds Love's Honor."  
  
"What happens after that?"  
  
"If she decides you are the one, she will tell you the task   
you need to perform to keep my promise from long ago. After   
that, then all you must do is defend the ideals of Amor and   
be the incarnation of the power of the Champion." Suddenly   
finding herself yawning and quickly covering her mouth with   
a hand, Utena paused, then gave the scarlet-maned chieftain   
an apologetic smile. "I fear the night is swiftly catching   
up to me. Let me dismiss the warding so that I may retire   
to bed."  
  
Touga merely nodded his assent. Despite his earlier deep   
slumber, he still felt tired; more than likely, the ritual   
had depleted him of what energy he had regained by his   
sleep. Still finding himself holding the Champion's brooch   
in his left hand, he assumed that it was now his to keep   
until such a time as he was judged by the Fey beyond the   
Rose Gate. Something occurred to him then, and he glanced   
up at her. "My lady, since the leg's healed, shouldn't the   
stitches come out?"  
  
Utena stifled a soft peal of laughter, leaning over to pick   
up the dagger from where it sat on the table. "Of course,   
my lord," she answered, slender fingers curling around the   
grip. "All that's needed is a steady hand, a sharp knife   
and a bit of brute force, as you well know."  
  
The Red Tyger did know, having learned something of first   
aid in regards to dealing with wounds caused by training and   
battle. Come the next time he had occasion to remove his   
trews from his thighs, he would deal with the thread   
himself.  
  
Still smiling, the rose-haired maiden turned and faced the   
mystic dome that protected them both. With a murmured   
thanks to the Elements involved and a statement affirming   
that they were once more within the here and now, Utena   
slashed the steel blade of her dagger through the faintly   
glowing energy. In a heartbeat, the power was no more,   
allowing the two within to once again to walk about as they   
wished. Sheathing her weapon, the young noblewoman looked   
over her shoulder long enough to give her companion a joyful   
smile. On the morrow, they could return to Kiryuu Keep. So   
close now was a chance to finally fulfill her quest.  
  
The highland chieftain returned her smile, hand still curled   
around the faintly glimmering piece of jewelry. A brief   
exchange of good wishes for pleasant dreams, and she walked   
off; Touga kept his cobalt-blue gaze upon her retreating   
form until she was gone from sight. Then he glanced down   
once more to the object he held. If this was what Ohtori   
was after, he would certainly do his best to defend it.  
  
To fail at that would jeopardize all he held dear. 


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen  
  
(How . . . touching. I suppose I should have expected the   
Red Tyger to have the charisma to sway his clan,) came the   
silent words as violet eyes scanned over the scene. A   
slight breeze ruffled short-cut brunette hair; the teenaged   
girl tossed her head to get the stray forelock out of her   
way. A faintly hungry expression glowed deep within her   
eyes as she watched the highland lord gracefully mount up on   
his white horse. Were her heart not devoted to her poor,   
captured love, she'd be tempted to see if Lord Touga's   
reputation was a deserved one.  
  
That thought, however, made her blood suddenly run cold.   
Nervously nibbling on her lower lip, the young woman turned   
her gaze to watch as the rose-haired lady dressed in mannish   
attire climbed up onto the saddle perched atop her   
buff-colored mare. (Please, by all that's holy, *tell* me   
where the sword is kept! I've waited so long to hear, and   
every day *he* suffers so . . .)  
  
How long she had played at this, she could no longer say.   
Months, at the very least, and with each cycle of the moon   
her despondence had grown. All of this was so far beneath   
her! But for love, she'd endure even the fires of Hell if   
it saw her beloved safe.  
  
"Shiori! Stop standing there mooning and mount up," came a   
somewhat strident voice.  
  
(Wakaba . . .) The girl addressed narrowed her gaze,   
suppressing a growl. Were there not so much at stake, she   
would have put the plain-appearing brunette in her place   
long ago. "I was just getting to that," Shiori responded,   
plastering a fake smile on her pretty face. Swinging   
effortlessly up onto the saddle, the violet-eyed servant   
took a moment to glance back at the ancestral home of the   
Kiryuu prince.  
  
The clanmembers were still gathered there, some talking   
amongst themselves while others stared at their   
soon-to-depart lord. Though most had been initially stunned   
at the news -- and a number of the older warriors had tried   
to argue their lord's decisions -- the gorgeous redheaded   
chieftain had calmly explained his reasons for his choices.   
All knew that ties of blood were the most binding of all,   
and to have their neighbors in such an alliance at a time   
when there was danger from the south made even the most   
obstinate of the Kiryuu reconsider.  
  
And Nanami was there as well, looking as brave as possible   
as she waved farewell to her older brother. Behind her,   
like a protective shadow, stood the other highland   
chieftain; Lord Kyouichi had been talked into accompanying   
his foster brother back to Kiryuu Keep. Though Shiori was   
under the impression it was to somehow help Lord Touga in   
his bid to convince his clan of the correctness of his   
choice, she also had the idea that it was to also have   
someone there for Nanami to turn to should the Ohtori move   
into battle before expected. (Poor girl's probably going to   
need it,) Shiori thought. After all, none of them had a   
clue what it was with which they were messing.  
  
But she knew. She glanced down at the golden ring on her   
hand, the symbol of her promise. Fear spiked through her   
again as she thought about the horrors her beloved could be   
facing at that very moment, horrors possible because she had   
yet to discover what she must.  
  
Eyes the color of the sea looked upwards at the overcast   
sky. Though the day looked to be off to a gloomy start as   
far as the weather was concerned, Utena still had a smile on   
her face. They were about to embark for the Rose Arbor, and   
that alone brought a thrill of excitement. Perhaps, at long   
last, her quest neared its end. Turning in the saddle, she   
lowered her gaze to take in the sight of the scarlet-maned   
lord astride the horse she remembered was called Blizzard.   
How wonderful he looked, hale and whole again, an echoing   
smile on his handsome visage. Then she thought of Ryu, his   
absence once again poignant as she saw what remained of her   
companions gathering around her. Her smile wilted. "My   
lord, did you send poor Ryu back home?"  
  
Touga nodded, his own expression becoming somber. "Aye, the   
Kiryuu warriors that are his escort left just after sunrise.   
They'll see to it that he makes it home to his mother."   
Considering that the young man had fallen trying to protect   
his lady, it was the least he could do. He was confident   
his men could get the remains there despite the distance to   
the Tenjou holdings in the southern kingdom.  
  
Utena nodded in an answering response, the plump plume   
decorating her soft hat floating on the breeze stirred up by   
her movement. Touching a foot against her mare's flank, the   
rose-haired warrioress moved closer to the highlander.   
"Your people took your news well for the most part," she   
remarked.  
  
"There are some who aren't happy, mostly those who continue   
to hold a grudge against the Saionji," Touga responded. "I   
may never convince some of them of the good of this. The   
others, however, can see the advantage of us being able to   
present a united front against anyone seeking to harm us.   
Aye, some may resent having to share resources with them,   
especially in a year where we may come under attack, but   
most know that we have better odds if we have the Saionji   
firmly on our side. I have faith that while we are gone to   
recover the sword, my sister and Saionji will be able to   
further convince the clan that this is a good idea." Of the   
two clans involved, his foster brother's clan had been more   
accepting of the situation, especially after receiving the   
news that their lord was once again a sovereign prince,   
beholden to no one but himself.  
  
"It would probably be in everyone's best interest to hasten   
on our task," the lowlander girl responded. "Do you still   
feel the Rose Gate's location?"  
  
Closing cobalt-blue eyes for a moment, Touga searched within   
himself. There . . . "That way," he replied, twisting in   
the saddle and pointing to the horizon off to the northeast.   
The echo of the vision was still there, urging him forward   
to . . . something.  
  
Violet eyes narrowing slyly, Shiori gave her fellow   
handmaiden a swift glance. Determining that Wakaba was too   
involved in some silly conversation with Tatsuya to notice,   
the short-haired brunette nudged her mount so that the   
dark-colored palfrey took a few steps closer to where the   
pair of nobles were talking. Mentally repeating a desperate   
prayer, the older girl strained her hearing to catch what   
they were saying.  
  
(Aye, that's the direction,) Utena silently agreed. "Aye,"   
she repeated out loud, a hint of a smile tugging up the   
corners of her expressive lips. "As you know, it's a   
three-day ride to Grove. From there, to the east into the   
depths of Greenwood Forest, we will find a trail that will   
take us into the wilds and, at the end of four days, the   
Rose Gate itself."  
  
(Grove.) Touga frowned slightly, calling the fortress there   
to mind. Essentially the southeastern outpost of the   
Arisugawa lands, it lay on the very edge of civilization.   
From there, in the direction of the rising sun, were only   
the savage wilds and the Fey, along with all the other   
dangers in the woods beyond the control of mortal man.   
Glancing at his frail-seeming companion, he could only stare   
in wonder as he realized that she had made this trip once   
before, when she was even younger than she was now. "So all   
we need to do is travel to Grove and then follow the trail   
that leads eastward for four days?"  
  
"Aye, that's all we need do," Utena responded.  
  
It took all of her will to not let her emotions show.   
Unable to believe her good luck, Shiori suddenly felt   
practically giddy with joy. Grove! They were going to   
Grove, *his* capitol, though the fortress would be so empty   
without his dear presence there. Who would have known that   
the sword would have been so close? Not only that, but she   
could possibly appeal to the Golden Panther for assistance;   
after all, that one had a stake in the situation. A hint of   
a sly smile crossed the handmaiden's lips. She'd much   
rather deal with the Arisugawa then deal with the somewhat   
frightening Ebon Phoenix.  
  
Hearing his pink-haired companion's words, the Kiryuu prince   
mentally nodded in acknowledgment, then twisted in the   
saddle to glance back at his younger sister and the somber   
man who would soon be her husband. Saionji and he had   
talked far into the night about the situation between the   
clans and this journey of his. He was confident that his   
childhood friend would do everything in his power to keep   
both groups safe and to assist Nanami. (And, God willing,   
Saionji and my sister will be able to come to an accord. I   
know they'll be good for one another so long as they manage   
to do so.) Noticing the younger Kiryuu waving -- and   
looking like her world was coming to an end -- Touga smiled   
and waved back, hoping to reassure her. Then he turned away   
and gave Blizzard the signal to start. With the wind in his   
hair, the highland chieftain set off in the direction from   
which the Rose Gate was calling to him, the rest of the   
party traveling with him following in his wake.  
________________  
  
The water felt good, the cool liquid washing off the dust   
from the dirt track they were following as it splashed   
merrily back into the mirror-like lake. Cupping her hands   
together, Utena drew out more water, this time drinking it   
from her careful grasp. Nearby, Wakaba was refreshing   
herself in much the same manner while in the near distance,   
the sounds of men's voices revealed where the Kiryuu prince   
and his escort of a half-dozen men were preparing a hasty   
noon-time meal.  
  
"Ah, that feels wonderful," the spunky servant happily   
sighed, crouching back on her heels as she glanced about the   
surrounding forest with her brown-eyed gaze. They'd been on   
the move since an hour after dawn, and Wakaba found it quite   
the pleasure to get out of the saddle for a short while.  
  
"Indeed it does," Utena agreed before taking another drink   
of water from her cupped hands.  
  
"So tell me, my lady," the ponytailed girl asked, turning   
her attention to the noblewoman that employed her, "what are   
you going to do should you achieve this quest?" In all   
honesty, Wakaba could easily see how taken her lady was with   
the dashing highlander -- the men of the rugged northlands   
were quite attractive, especially a certain green-haired   
prince -- and she couldn't help but worry about Lady Utena.   
From what she'd been able to hear from the other servants,   
Wakaba knew that Lord Touga wasn't exactly known for his   
loyalty when it came to women. However, he had passed her   
lady's tests, which had made Wakaba wonder if she ought to   
rethink her position on what sort of man the scarlet-maned   
prince truly was.  
  
"Well, I've agreed to return to Kiryuu Keep and be a guest   
of Lord Touga's hospitality for a while," Utena replied,   
getting to her feet and brushing off her trews.  
  
"But what about your holdings, my lady?" Wakaba asked,   
realizing just how deep the other girl's infatuation must   
run.  
  
"My stewards have handled things well for over a year   
already," the lowlander noble responded. "A few months more   
wouldn't hurt anything. After all, I went into this   
expecting it to take quite a bit of time." Glancing about,   
Utena suddenly frowned as she realized that the gregarious   
servant was the only other person about. "Where's Shiori,   
Wakaba? Did you see where she went?"  
  
Startled, the brunette frowned as well, scanning over the   
forested area with her brown gaze. "No, my lady," Wakaba   
replied, racking her brain in an attempt to recall just when   
was the last time she'd seen the older handmaiden. Shiori   
had remained mounted, mentioning something about needing the   
privacy of some bushes. "Perhaps she finished seeing to her   
needs and returned to the camp while we were washing up?"   
she suggested.  
  
That certainly made sense. Feeling a small sense of relief,   
Utena walked back over to her mount and untied the reins   
from the small tree to which it had been tied. "Then let's   
return as well." Taking her palfrey's reins in hand, the   
slender noble retraced her steps back to where the men were   
eating, her faithful servant following along with the other   
mare in tow.  
  
"I still don't exactly like it, my lord," one of the Kiryuu   
warriors was saying between mouthfuls of the roll he was   
eating. Though most of the escort were young men in the   
prime of their life, the one speaking was one of the older   
men, a veteran of many a raid and battle. "You could have   
used your sister to gain more land or more wealth, but   
instead you offer her to our former enemy. Have you   
forgotten that it was the Saionji who started the conflict   
between us?"  
  
Before the Red Tyger could respond to his follower's words,   
one of the other Kiryuu spoke up. "No one's forgotten about   
that, but it's over and done, Hikaru."  
  
"There's no excuse for not only rescinding their servitude,   
but also giving them half our wealth *and* Lady Nanami," the   
battle-scarred man growled, scowling at the black-haired   
warrior that had spoken. "They only got what they deserved,   
and now it's been utterly undone. Thieves and murderers   
shouldn't be rewarded."  
  
"I would rather help a neighbor I know than watch them fall   
to someone I don't know. Give me the familiar over the   
unfamiliar any day," Michiyo said, speaking up. The   
sandy-haired man, one of those who had survived the ambush,   
gestured toward the general direction in which the Saionji   
lands lay. "They were desperate then, their lands not   
supporting them as well as ours support us -- "  
  
"They stole our cattle, our crops, our daughters," Hikaru   
countered with a growl. "And they killed our brothers and   
our followers -- "  
  
"And we broke them," Michiyo replied. "But now we face an   
even greater threat, and we need allies such as the Saionji.   
They know these lands as well as we, and they are steadfast   
warriors. We face a common possible foe from an area beyond   
our homelands. If they should fall, then our own chances   
are that much more tenuous. They were in that ambush as   
well, and in that moment, it didn't matter who was Saionji   
and who was Kiryuu. All those that fell were defending all   
of us."  
  
Touga leaned back against the rough bark of the tree behind   
him, back propped against it as if it were a sturdy chair.   
Taking a bite from the slice of cheese he held in his hand,   
he continued to watch as his clansmen talked amongst   
themselves about his earlier announcements to them.  
  
"He's got a point," remarked one of the other Kiryuu, a   
young warrior around the same age as their redheaded lord.   
"If the Ohtori are determined to come up here, then we stand   
a better chance fighting with the Saionji then standing   
alone."  
  
"And if they're as impoverished as our lord says they are,   
they won't be as strong of help as they could be," another   
of the younger clansmen added. "We've more then enough to   
sustain ourselves though the summer is embroiled in warfare.   
We help feed the Saionji and not only will they be at their   
best, they'll owe us besides."  
  
"They were our *enemy*," Hikaru reiterated, sounding   
frustrated.  
  
"They paid dearly for it already," the sandy-haired Michiyo   
replied, his voice sounding every bit as stubborn. He'd   
seen both the Saionji and their lord in action and he knew   
he'd much rather have them fighting at his side then against   
him. "Now it's time to put that behind us and stand united   
against the Ohtori should the Phoenix come calling. Once   
the crisis is over, the marriage will keep them on our side.   
They will be kin by blood."  
  
That had the younger Kiryuu nodding in agreement. One of   
the unwritten but sacred traditions of life was that bonds   
of blood were the most honored of all. In an uncertain   
world, family was all you could rely upon for assistance;   
kinfolk looked out for one another, and the most despised   
person was one who turned on his own family.  
  
"They killed our men," Hikaru stubbornly insisted.  
  
"And we killed theirs, but they've also lost many to the   
disease and starvation their war brought to them. Once Lord   
Kyouichi and Lady Nanami are wed, they would be fighting   
their own brothers should they take up arms again, and no   
sane man would do so," the raven-haired Kiryuu man   
responded.  
  
That brought another round of head nodding by the other less   
seasoned warriors, though the older man looked like he was   
becoming disgusted at the younger generation. From what the   
others had seen of the green-haired lord, it would be   
unlikely that the Saionji would be despicable enough to   
attack those who had become family -- at least as a whole,   
and so long as the Kiryuu gave them the aid brothers were   
expected to extend. No more Kiryuu should die at the hands   
of their neighbors, making the world a slightly safer place.  
  
Touga opened his mouth to take another bite of his cheese,   
but movement caught his attention. Turning his head, he   
smiled as he saw the boyishly-clad noblewoman return with   
her servant. "Ah, there you are. Lunch is awaiting you."   
Then the smile faltered, becoming an expression of   
puzzlement. "Where is your other handmaiden, my lady?"  
  
Utena grimaced in worry. Looking about, all she could see   
were the Kiryuu clansmen. "Shiori's not here with you, my   
lord?" she asked, equally confused.  
  
The Red Tyger shook his head in denial. "No, and I've not   
seen her since she left with you to take care of your   
needs."  
  
"But I thought she had returned . . ." the lowlander   
warrioress replied, her expression turning to one of deep   
concern.  
  
"We've seen nary a hair of her, my lady," one of the Kiryuu   
said, his words echoed by all the others.  
  
"Then where is she?" Utena asked, glancing to the equally   
worried appearing Wakaba.  
________________  
  
Hooves thundered down the deer track that wove between the   
massive trunks of ancient trees and the thick underbrush   
that grew in the shadows of the giants. Glancing back over   
her shoulder for what had to be the millionth time, Shiori   
looked for any sign of pursuit, her violet eyes searching   
for a hint of movement behind her. So far, there had been   
none, and she was beginning to think that she had indeed   
slipped away from the lowlander woman and her highlander   
acquaintance. Considering that she had ridden for quite a   
distance within a streambed, it should be quite a while --   
if ever -- before the Kiryuu discovered her palfrey's   
tracks.  
  
The masquerade was over. Somehow, she *had* to get someone   
to get their hands on the magic sword, but she knew she   
could far more trust the Arisugawa chieftain then she could   
the beautiful but eerie Ohtori prince. If she could somehow   
convince the Arisugawa to get the sword first, then maybe   
the return of her beloved would be even more guaranteed.   
After all, no one messed with the Golden Panther if they   
could avoid it.  
  
Lord Akio had come close to snatching the lowlander girl,   
but in the ensuing battle, Shiori had been equally at risk   
as the rest. That fight had opened her eyes, made her   
realize that she was expendable after all. Thoughts of the   
Ohtori prince getting his hands on the sword he so badly   
wanted and then killing her beloved anyway spurred Shiori   
onward, sweat beading on her brow beneath her brunette   
bangs. Getting the Golden Panther involved would surely   
force the dark-skinned lord to release his captive once he   
had gotten what he wanted.  
  
That sword would need to become the property of the   
Arisugawa chieftain before Lord Touga and Lady Utena came to   
claim it . . .  
________________  
  
There was no sign of her at all. It was as if she had   
vanished off the face of the earth.  
  
Her heart heavy, Utena twisted in the saddle and looked   
behind herself once more. Somewhere, out there in the dense   
foliage of the evergreens, was her handmaiden. Inwardly   
cursing at the necessity of continuing on without Shiori,   
the young warrioress turned her attention back to the path   
ahead. What had happened? Where could she be? Why was   
there no evidence of where she had gone? A hundred such   
questions filled her mind as she rode on behind the equally   
silent Red Tyger.  
  
Next to her, glancing at the rose-haired maiden in concern,   
the normally exuberant Wakaba was silent. She could tell   
from her mistress's face alone how disturbed she was at the   
sudden disappearance of the older servant. Bad enough   
knowing that the dashing Lord Kyouichi was being wedded to   
the younger Kiryuu, but seeing her lady in such a state made   
Wakaba's heart ache. "I'm sure she'll turn up somewhere, my   
lady," the handmaiden softly said hoping to cheer the other   
girl up.  
  
"I hope she's all right. How I dislike having to leave her   
behind," Utena responded, her voice sounding weary.  
  
"Everyone tarried as long as we dared," Wakaba reminded.   
"And no one looking found any sign of her, though the Kiryuu   
did their best."  
  
"I know, Wakaba," the lowlander noble sighed.  
  
"I'm very sorry, but it couldn't be helped," Touga said,   
turning enough in the saddle to look back at the two riding   
behind him. "The longer we delay -- "  
  
" -- The greater the risk that Lord Akio could prevent us   
from achieving Love's Honor," Utena finished, nodding. She   
understood the risks and the reasons, but she still worried   
about her lost lady in waiting's well-being.  
  
"Correct," Touga responded, though he continued to mull over   
the mysterious happenings. A thought came to him, one that   
made a cold shiver run down his spine. "Lady Utena, how   
long has Shiori been in your employ?"  
  
"For only a few months, my lord. She came stumbling in   
during the winter snows, begging for assistance and saying   
that she had escaped cruel treatment from a former mistress.   
I couldn't turn her away," the kind-hearted maiden   
responded. "And since none came to demand her back, I kept   
her in my custody."  
  
(Only since the winter?) Touga echoed, still feeling that   
chill. "When in the winter, my lady? Do you recall?" he   
asked, his voice taking on an undertone of demand.  
  
"If it pleases, my lord, Shiori was found a week past   
Midwinter's Day," Wakaba spoke up, answering in her lady's   
stead. In all honesty, there was something about Shiori   
that put Wakaba on edge almost every time they were in one   
another's company. When no one else was around, Shiori had   
carried herself as if she were better, as if she were a   
noble instead. From the look in Lord Touga's dark blue   
eyes, he must suspect that there was more to the now missing   
woman than was first believed.  
  
"Aye, that's right," Utena confirmed, then blinked in   
surprise as the color seemed to drain from the handsome   
lord's face. "Whatever's the matter, my lord?"  
  
Half a day wasted, looking for the girl. Half a day in   
which they were delayed. The Kiryuu prince inwardly cursed,   
hoping that they hadn't somehow given the others also   
seeking the sword an advantage. "I hope 'tis nothing, my   
lady, but I fear the girl may have been a spy for those also   
looking for what we seek."  
  
"What do you mean?" the lowlander asked, a feeling of dread   
coming over her.  
  
"Somehow those men that ambushed us knew you were traveling   
with Saionji and me. And now your lady in waiting, one that   
you know not where she comes from nor have you known her   
long, goes missing."  
  
"Perhaps those also seeking the power took her?" Utena   
suggested, fear showing on her beautiful face.  
  
"Were they in a mood to be taking people, they would have   
taken you," Touga pointed out After all, only he and the   
rose-haired lady knew that he now possessed the Champion's   
brooch. "No, to be safe, we must assume she has ridden on   
to notify those to whom she reports." Once the girl told   
them the latest news, what would Ohtori do? Would he swoop   
down to make another attempt to grab the key Touga now held?   
Would he take the chance to strike swift and hard against   
the Saionji and the Kiryuu, knowing that the latter was   
being watched over by Lady Nanami? Would he do both,   
splitting his forces between two objectives? Turning his   
gaze once again solely to the path they followed, the Red   
Tyger urged Blizzard on to a faster pace. If they were to   
have any reasonable chance at all against one wielding dark   
powers, then he must be confirmed as the new Champion. He   
could not fail this, nor could he allow Ohtori to gain more   
of an advantage than he already had. "Come, my lady!" he   
called out to the one riding in his wake. "We must hurry.   
Already we have lost half a days's travel."  
  
She didn't want to believe it, but she had to admit that   
what her scarlet-maned companion feared could be true.   
Frowning in both worry and dismay, Utena tapped her heels to   
her palfrey's flanks, urging the mare to a speed that   
matched that of the Kiryuu prince's mount. They needed to   
reach the Rose Arbor, swiftly, before Lord Akio's plans   
could be carried out.  
________________  
  
Emerald eyes swept over the sight, the corner of a mouth   
twisted up into a grin. At long last, he stood here before   
the Rose Gate with a way to get beyond the massive stone   
doors. It was easy to come here -- it always was -- for he   
retained the ability to walk within shadow and the feel of   
this place was always in the back of his mind. Unlike his   
other, weaker half, he still had some of his lingering power   
though he too was encased in mortal flesh and bone.  
  
The gateway was impressive, a pair of smooth pink-veined   
white marble doors upon which were carved the stylized   
insignia of a rose within a circle. In the center of the   
right-hand door, a large handle with a circular depression   
at its top protruded. Around him were the shadows of the   
deep woodland glade, this entryway seemingly out of place in   
so wild an area. But he knew where this would lead, back to   
that place where he truly belonged.  
  
Nimble hands opened the pin of the tarnished silver brooch,   
swinging it away from the blackened disk of metal. The   
slender rod jutting outward, those same fingers then held   
the brooch steady as he set the piece of jewelry into the   
circular depression, the pin sliding into the deeper stone   
sheath meant for it. Before now, the way had been barred to   
him, the dark reflection of the Champion's brooch that was   
his only link -- aside from his physical appearance -- to   
what he had once been not good enough to unlock the gate.   
But all that had changed now, the way being opened by the   
claiming of the true brooch. Hearing the faint *snick*, his   
smile grew a bit wider as he gave the handle a turn, his   
skin dark against the white stone.  
  
It rotated to the left, as he expected it would. Letting   
go, he could hear the sudden sound of running water, though   
he knew one couldn't see the waters that flowed. Slowly the   
Rose Gate began to move, transforming, the marble grinding   
against itself as the twin panels swung outward and up   
smoothly. Behind them, two gates of sharp-tipped metal   
grilles slid past one another, one to each side. High   
above, the petals of a large stone rose reached up toward   
the boughs of the surrounding forest; he looked up at the   
sight for a moment, the wind playfully ruffling his long,   
pale-lavender hair, then lowered his gaze to the now open   
entrance.  
  
Stairs greeted him, a flight made of the same marble as the   
gateway, the thorny vines and fragrant blooms of a rainbow   
of roses entwined about the bannister of the stairs that   
zigzagged upwards through the thick forest. He took a   
moment to breathe in the sweet scent of the flowers; she   
always did love the things, and he had loved them because   
she had. The smile still on his gorgeous face, Lord Akio   
began the walk up the long flight of steps.  
  
An archway awaited him, the graceful curve and rose emblem   
at the top of it shattered. Though broken, the two halves   
still rested against one another, the massive lanterns   
hanging from each post illuminating the area around the base   
of the arch. He passed through the shattered entry, emerald   
eyes scanning over the place beyond.  
  
A sea of roses stretched out before him, all red, the color   
of blood. Narrow pathways crisscrossed the area between the   
well-tended bushes; the fragrance was almost overpowering.   
In the center of the scarlet sea a lone figure stood, her   
dark purple hair and brown skin making her stand out from   
the ruddy hue surrounding her. At the moment, she was bent   
over slightly, watering the flowers in her care.  
  
Seeing her there made some intense emotion stir within him,   
but whether it was love or hate, Akio couldn't say. Both   
were merely sides of the same coin, after all. Regardless,   
he could no more remain unmoved at the sight of her then   
could this flesh and blood body of his stop breathing. He   
wanted to rush to her, but was uncertain whether he intended   
to hug and kiss her passionately or wring her neck when he   
reached her side. Instead, he merely walked calmly toward   
her, determined to remain in control as he made his way   
between the lush foliage of the bushes.  
  
The slender figure, clad in a regal gown of a hue that   
matched the surrounding roses, straightened; a stray gust of   
wind danced over the area, tossing blood-red petals into the   
air, rippling Akio's mane of light hair even as it tossed   
about the long, straight strands of the woman's locks.   
Though the gold-accented bodice of her dress fit snugly,   
showing to an advantage her feminine charms, the skirt of   
the gown was full, voluminous, obscuring the shape of the   
rest of her. Atop her head, like the rays of a brilliant   
sun, a tiara of golden points glittered from among the deep   
violet of her hair. Turning to face the newcomer, she   
smiled.  
  
Akio noted the expression of happiness even as he realized   
that the leaf-green eyes staring back at him were devoid of   
any and all emotion. She was just as he remembered, save   
for the lack of light deep within her large, beautiful eyes.   
So she too had changed by what she had wrought, but in what   
manner?  
  
He had returned; of that she could not be mistaken. The   
same dusky skin and magnificent form, the same   
heartbreakingly gorgeous face, the same silvery-lavender   
hair -- though he looked older, more . . . worldly. Her   
heart should have been leaping in utter joy, but she no   
longer had a heart -- that object had fled with her soul.   
And he seemed different inside as well, changed in a manner   
she couldn't quite describe. (My poor beloved, how   
mortality has affected you.)  
  
Akio stopped before the graceful woman, looking her over   
with eyes as well as mind. (A shell, a projection . . .   
Gone is the soul within?) Looking into her vacant eyes, he   
knew that to be the case. What he faced now was merely a   
doll, an automaton. Holding out a brown-skinned hand, he   
spoke a single word, "Anshii."  
  
"My dearest beloved," the tender of the roses replied,   
reaching out and resting her graceful hand atop his. "When   
I sensed the presence of one brought by the brooch to this   
place, I had prayed that it would be you to climb the   
stairs. Welcome home." Still the smile remained upon her   
lips, the leaf-green gaze equally devoid of life.  
  
"Long have I waited for this moment," Akio responded,   
changing his hold upon Anshii's hand to lift the back of it   
to his lips in a greeting that was more sensual then   
respectful. She may be a heartless doll, but if enough of   
the true Anshii remained, she would react as he expected.   
"To return whence I belong and see you once more, to have a   
chance to mend what was done."  
  
Anshii remained standing there, unmoved by the tall lord's   
gesture, her hand still held in his loose grasp. "The   
sundering can be fixed?" she asked, her voice carrying the   
same flatness of emotion as her eyes.  
  
"Aye, but there are things I need, Anshii."  
  
The faintest stirring of emotion, the tinge of a look of   
hopefulness. "What do you need, beloved?"  
  
Akio mentally smirked. How well he knew her, that even this   
shadow of what she once had been would leap at the chance to   
undo what had been done. A look of heartfelt pleading on   
his handsome face, the pale haired noble replied, "The   
sword, Anshii."  
  
Another subtle undercurrent of what passed for emotion, this   
time it was uncertainty upon the rose tender's otherwise   
vacant face. "But the sword . . ."  
  
"Come now, Anshii. You've been holding it for me. Look at   
me. You know who I am, who I was."  
  
Still she hesitated, uncertain. The sword was for her   
Champion, and the one standing here had the look and feel of   
her lost beloved -- yet there was still something that   
didn't seem right. She had always trusted him before, so   
why was this moment any different?  
  
"Everything can be restored, but to do so, I need the   
sword," the Ebon Phoenix reiterated. Staring at her   
tenderly, he added, "Knowing the whole of you, I love you."  
  
She returned his gaze. He was mortal now -- powerful and   
still wielding some magic, but still mortal. Should   
something happen to him, he could be lost forever as was the   
fate of any other born into the physical world. By her own   
hand, he was now less then what he had once been. If there   
was some way to take it all back . . . "And though you know   
the whole of the world, I love you," Anshii softly said in   
reply.  
  
He held out his arms to her. "The sword, Anshii . . ." He   
saw the surrender in her posture, read the tinge of   
acceptance there on her beautiful face, and made ready to   
catch her slender form. Her eyes closed as a brilliant   
light suddenly appeared over her cleavage, a mystic breeze   
swirling around them as magic awoke in response to her will.   
Anshii arched backwards, falling, even as the golden hilt of   
a ruby-adorned sword emerged seemingly impossibly from her   
heart. Catching her with one strong arm, Akio reached over   
and grasped the golden wire-wrapped handle. With practiced   
ease, the Ebon Phoenix drew the glittering blade from its   
living sheath; the shining silver-colored blade cut through   
the air as Akio swept the weapon down and outward, reveling   
in the familiar heft and weight of the sword.  
  
At long last, he once more held Love's Honor. He would be   
able to finish his plans. Glancing down at the   
expressionless face of the still-bent woman he held, he gave   
the hollow projection a smile. He leaned down and gave the   
red-gowned rose tender a lingering, passionate kiss as a   
sweet reward for her cooperation.  
  
It would only be a matter of time now before he could turn   
the power of the sword into something he could wield, and   
with it, he would hunt down and eliminate his weaker half.   
Then all that would remain would be himself, the Phoenix,   
rising remade from the ashes of what he once was.  
  
  
  
  



	15. Chapter Fourteen

  
Chapter Fourteen  
  
Into the sunrise they traveled for the fourth time, though   
that slowly rising orb was hidden beyond both the shadowy   
canopy of the wild forest that surrounded them and the gray   
clouds high above. Civilization was a thing far past; ever   
since they had decided to bypass the actual fortress of   
Grove and headed eastward to trim some time from their   
journey, none of them had seen any sign of habitation, human   
or otherwise. The woods were dense, the track they followed   
the only passable way for their mounts, though an occasional   
game trail crossed over their path.  
  
They had spent the nights huddled together in bedrolls with   
a small campfire used for warmth, cooking and protection,   
and everyone taking turns at watch. Even had they loaded   
themselves down with sumpters carrying tents, the woods   
surrounding them were too overgrown to have made the use of   
tents possible. Still, Lady Utena and her party had spent   
over a year practically living on the road while the Kiryuu   
were used to having to bed down in the wilds, so all were   
acquainted with how to keep themselves relatively safe.  
  
That there had been no trouble bothered Lord Touga. Either   
their foe was still unaware of their attempt to recover the   
sword or the Phoenix was too involved in reaching the Rose   
Gate first to bother with any delaying tactics. Even so,   
the Red Tyger felt as if things had gone too quietly, too   
smoothly, on this journey. A faint sense of dread, one he   
just couldn't shake, had come upon him after that first day   
on the road. Time would tell if his instincts were correct.  
  
A thick mist hung over the forest, the silvery-gray wisps   
entwined around dew-speckled bushes, lush foliage and   
evergreen boughs. Once again the Kiryuu prince tapped   
Blizzard's flanks with black boot heels, setting a swift   
pace despite the decreased visibility of the fog. Today   
would see them reach the Rose Gate.  
  
Tack jingled merrily; hooves thudded against the solid earth   
while the party forged on ahead in a canter. They were all   
quiet, eyes scanning over the countryside for any hints of   
danger looming up from the swirling mist, their ears   
straining to catch any sound not of their own making. High   
above, water condensed against pine needles into a drop,   
gravity pulling it from its perch to fall silently; down   
below, Utena jumped slightly as the cool water splashed   
against her cheek, then smiled wryly and wiped the drop from   
her skin.  
  
The trail was as she remembered, including the penchant it   
had to be surrounded by fog at dawn and dusk. She sensed   
that they were getting close, and she felt a nervous   
excitement at once more standing before the impressive gates   
of white marble.  
  
Lowering her hand to once again hold both leather reins in   
her steady grip, her attention was caught by sounds heard   
over the noise their own party was making.  
  
Voices.  
  
At first uncertain of the source, Utena quickly had her   
suspicions confirmed when the regal Kiryuu chieftain stopped   
his mount. The prince held up a hand in a signal for the   
rest to halt. Quick to respond, the highlanders did as   
ordered. The pink-haired maiden swiftly echoed the gesture   
for her own people as she tugged back on her reins with a   
single hand.  
  
Hardly daring to breathe, the party stood there for long   
moments, the mist eddying around them while they did their   
best to make out what was being said or from where it was   
coming. Cobalt-blue eyes narrowing, Touga realized that the   
voices were ahead, further down the dirt path. (Not overly   
far,) he mentally estimated, debating what to do. It would   
be best to assume that the strangers were traveling for the   
same reason. At the moment, he and his party held the   
element of surprise. If these others were searching for the   
magic sword, then Touga would have to overtake them and   
reach the Rose Gate first, and there could be a fight once   
the two groups came into close proximity. His best chance   
lay with rushing forward, overtaking them, and then racing   
onwards before they could collect themselves enough to do   
more then give chase. (So be it,) he thought, his course   
decided.  
  
Turning in the saddle, the gorgeous lord looked over those   
behind him. All of them were staring back, waiting for an   
indication on how to proceed. Gesturing for them to follow,   
the Kiryuu prince twisted back and gave Blizzard the signal   
to run. The well-bred courser jumped into action, the   
stallion's lean body rippling beneath Touga as the animal   
burst into a full gallop.  
  
Startled at seeing the highlanders dashing down the woodland   
path at full speed, Utena spurred her own mount into a swift   
gallop although she wasn't certain what the scarlet-maned   
noble had in mind. Trusting in his judgement -- and noting   
that he had yet to pull his weapon -- the lowlander   
noblewoman gave chase to the Kiryuu, her handmaiden and man   
at arms close on her back. Grasping branches and looming   
bushes seemed to grab at her while they raced through the   
silver fog; a couple of times Utena flinched as a sudden   
tree limb appeared very close to her, only to relax as she   
raced on by without the branch even scraping across her.  
  
The flight through the mist was frightening, but the maiden   
only felt a true surge of apprehension when a group of   
mounted people appeared ahead. Numbering about twice as   
many as her own party, Utena noted that the unknown men were   
suddenly revealed to be more highlanders, given their   
similar appearance and clothing to others she had met. A   
commonality quickly noticed was the identifying colors of   
gold and red -- just as Touga's own men wore something of   
white and red declaring that they were Kiryuu. Having not   
yet met a clan with that particular combination of hues,   
Utena had no clue who these people could be. As it was, she   
needed to concentrate on the way ahead and what would happen   
once the Kiryuu burst upon the strangers.  
  
Aquamarine eyes flicked once more to the tall form leading   
the charge. Realizing that Touga still kept his sword   
sheathed, the pink-haired warrioress guessed that he meant   
merely to dash through them, using momentum and surprise to   
force them from their path. Steeling her own resolve, Utena   
leaned forward as her mount galloped on, keeping herself low   
over the animal's withers.  
  
Touga also saw the identifying colors. Though startled at   
the implications, it wasn't enough to make him rethink his   
action or pause in his speed. (The Arisugawa?) Scanning   
over them as they came swiftly into view, the confirmation   
he was looking for came in the presence of a certain someone   
there.  
  
At the sound of the thundering hooves, the party of   
strangers all halted, turning their gazes back down the   
fog-draped trail. While the dozen young warriors stared at   
the direction of the sound in silence, the regal figure at   
the head of the group frowned darkly. "What on earth could   
this be?" the angelic-appearing woman muttered, large   
turquoise eyes reflecting her surprise and annoyance at the   
interruption.  
  
Next to her, mounted on a fine gray-colored palfrey, another   
woman -- this one clad in a dress of the finest silk as   
opposed to the other woman's somewhat mannish but quite   
practical garb -- turned violet eyes to the one that had   
spoken. "My lady, please. We must hurry. Others are   
looking for the sword as well."  
  
"Well, if these are some of those, then perhaps we should   
make a stand right here," the first woman replied, a toss of   
her head sending her meticulously-curled tangerine-hued hair   
out of her face.  
  
Catching the appearance of nine riders approaching at top   
speed, the all-too-familiar form of the Red Tyger in the   
lead, the second woman gasped in intense fright. "No time!"   
she shouted, watching the distance between the two groups   
rapidly disappear.  
  
The first woman growled in irritation, realizing that her   
companion was right. The way that fool Kiryuu was racing   
forward, there would be little time at all to pull weapons   
and deploy. Already the mad riders were nearly upon them.  
  
Utena swallowed hard, her eyes glued to the form of what   
could be described as an angel come to earth; the   
sunset-maned woman's stunning countenance was divinely   
impassive. Then a feminine shout from a familiar voice   
caught Utena's attention. Gasping in shock, the young   
warrioress scanned over the rest of the group, searching; a   
feeling of betrayal mingled with relief swept over her as   
her sea-blue gaze settled upon the well-known visage of   
Shiori. The brunette servant -- dressed in clothing more   
fitting to a noble -- sat astride a mount to the side of the   
regal woman.  
  
(Shiori,) thought the Kiryuu chieftain, his attention also   
caught by the voice he'd recognized. Though again surprised   
at the discovery of that one in the company of the Arisugawa   
chieftain, he felt some relief at the realization that the   
missing handmaiden had not been spying for Lord Akio. At   
least the girl seemed to be in good health; that would make   
Lady Utena happy. Bracing himself, Touga plunged into the   
middle of the other group, shouting at Blizzard to keep up   
the full gallop.  
  
The Golden Panther's men scattered, just as Touga expected   
they would; still astounded at the rapid appearance of a   
band of riders crashing through them, the Arisugawa gave in   
to instinct and dashed to either side. Of them all, only   
the tall woman at the head of the group held her ground.   
Only a little effort on the redheaded prince's part was   
needed to urge his courser to the right, avoiding the   
stern-looking noblewoman. Bursting unscathed through where   
the Arisugawa had been, Touga continued to urge his mount   
onward at a breakneck speed.  
  
The other Kiryuu followed suit, thundering past where the   
Arisugawa had scattered and riding to either one side or the   
other of the woman that remained still on the earthen path.   
As Utena passed through, she glanced to the side and noted   
the scared look Shiori tossed her way. For a single moment,   
their eyes locked gazes. Then the moment was gone, the   
lowlander carried past where the brunette girl remained just   
to the side of the trail.  
  
The minute they were past, Shiori slapped her heels against   
her palfrey's flanks and shouted as the gray mare clambered   
back onto the track, "We can't let him get the sword, my   
lady! Please! We must hurry!"  
  
The woman addressed sighed in exasperation. There were times   
she truly hated her feelings, and this was one of them.   
However, one look at those stricken, fearful violet eyes and   
the tangerine-haired angel could hardly refuse. This entire   
situation was tearing Shiori up inside, hurting her   
unmercifully. Well aware of the turmoil the situation could   
cause within her own holdings, the regal woman nodded to her   
longtime friend and wheeled her horse in the direction the   
other highland chieftain had disappeared. "We're not beaten   
yet, my friend," the Arisugawa warrioress vowed. "To the   
Gate!" she shouted to the men who just now returned to the   
trail. "We'll not let the Tyger have the prize!" Her order   
ended on a shout as she spurred her mount into a gallop,   
giving chase to the others seeking the mystic sword.   
  
The race was on through the fog. Leaning low over his   
mount's withers, his long hair streaming behind him, Touga   
concentrated on his progress down the trail. Behind him, he   
heard the thunder of hooves; his party was hard on his   
heels. The dirt track wound through the trees, the dark   
trunks looming up through the curtain of silvery mist. Were   
there not the trail, it would be easy to become utterly   
lost.  
  
Following another bend, Touga gasped when his mount burst   
into a clearing left untouched by the spectral mist. The   
lush, emerald ring was bound by ancient oaks, whose gnarled   
branches and sturdy trunks gave testament to their   
durability. A massive gateway of gleaming, polished marble   
stood opposite him across the clearing. The first thought   
that struck him was the oddness of such a structure being   
there in the middle of nowhere. The second one was a surety   
that this was what he sought.  
  
Wheeling his mount around, the highland chieftain watched as   
the rest of his party galloped into the clearing. Noting   
the awed expressions on his men's faces and their otherwise   
dazed affect, he shouted, "Line up at the entrance! Keep   
the Arisugawa from gaining the glade!"  
  
"They can go around your men, through the brush," Utena   
pointed out, urging her mare to come to a halt near her   
scarlet-haired companion.  
  
"I know that. I'm just looking to delay them enough to open   
the gateway," he explained, turning Blizzard around again   
and tapping the stallion's flanks. Though uncertain how he   
knew, the knowledge was there that only he would actually be   
able to ascend the stairs.  
  
Utena opened her mouth, only to shut it without a sound as   
the other noble rode away. Determined to give him   
directions in how to use the Champion's brooch to unlock the   
Rose Gate, she spurred her own mount into action again.  
  
Heeding their lord's words, the knot of Kiryuu warriors drew   
their weapons and gathered together, making a wall of men   
and horses across the dirt trail leading into the grassy   
clearing. Hearing their foe's rapid approach, they braced   
themselves for the coming onslaught. Among them stood   
Tatsuya, determined to help further his lady's goals the   
best he could.  
  
Still mounted on her palfrey, the two of them in the center   
of the woodland glade, Wakaba turned her gaze from her lady   
back to the men making ready to face the other highland   
clan. Spying the familiar form of the Tenjou man at arms,   
she felt a sense of uneasiness wash over her. They had   
already lost Ryu; it would hurt to lose Tatsuya as well.  
  
Still leading the charge, the sunset-maned woman rode as   
fast as she dared under the foggy conditions, her nearly   
hip-length hair rippling behind her like a silken banner.   
This was foolish, part of her admonished, to rile the Red   
Tyger at a time when her own land's internal situation was   
so volatile and danger threatened from the far south. The   
other part of her, spurred on by the frantic desperation she   
had seen in Shiori's eyes, was fiercely determined to do   
what it took to make the pretty brunette happy again.   
Suddenly noting the wall of Kiryuu warriors blocking the   
way, the angelic noblewoman veered to the side and came to a   
halt, turning and shouting to the others, "Punch through   
them! I want past those men!"  
  
The warriors riding in her wake galloped on by. Turning her   
turquoise gaze to watch their progress, the stern woman   
mentally sighed when she became aware of another presence   
halting there next to her. "If the Tyger gets the sword, my   
lady, then we'll lose any chance of getting him back."  
  
"I'm well aware of that, Lady Shiori," she responded.   
(Don't worry. I swear I'll do my best to make you happy   
again, though it breaks my heart to do so.) The shouts of   
men and the clash of bodies could be heard, a grim   
punctuation on her thought.  
  
Hearing the chaos erupting behind him, Touga called out a   
halt to Blizzard, then gracefully dismounted the moment the   
gorgeous stallion stopped. Pulling the Champion's brooch   
from where it sat pinned to the left shoulder of his   
scarlet-trimmed white tunic, the tall chieftain loped over   
to where the Rose Gate stood, cobalt gaze sweeping over it   
for clues on the proper use of the piece of jewelry.  
  
"Lord Touga!" Utena shouted, nearly leaping from her mount   
before the palfrey had come to a complete halt. "Open the   
brooch!"  
  
Hearing her instruction, he frowned while looking from the   
golden object to the pink-veined marble structure. Lifting   
his head and looking at her while she ran toward him, he   
asked, "What exactly do I do once I've done that?"  
  
The rose-maned maiden dashed beyond him, reaching out to   
grasp the smooth stone handle projecting from the right-hand   
panel. Pointing to the depression at the top of the object,   
Utena explained, "You set the brooch in here and that   
unlocks the gate."  
  
Eyes still on Tatsuya, Wakaba gasped as the fighting among   
the two clans intensified in a matter of seconds. While the   
Arisugawa concentrated on just pushing the Kiryuu out of the   
way and clear a path, the other highlanders were attempting   
to push the Arisugawa back into the fog-enshrouded forest.   
However, the followers of the tangerine-haired woman had   
momentum on their side. With a violent push enforced by a   
number of sword blows, a way through the ranks was forced   
open. Her heart in her throat, the normally-gregarious   
handmaiden watched in fear as the two women in the other   
party shoved through their men. "My lady!" Wakaba called   
out in warning, twisting in the saddle to see what the pair   
of nobles was doing.  
  
It wouldn't be long now before the Arisugawa could actively   
interfere. Slipping the pin from its catch, Touga pushed it   
away from the glimmering gold in much the same manner he had   
the night he had stabbed himself with the thin, sharp-tipped   
rod. "Like this?" he asked, looking to the slender girl   
next to him.  
  
"Aye, that's correct," Utena confirmed, her words coming out   
in a rush. "There's a hollow in the depression there in   
which you must slide the pin. One the brooch is settled,   
turn the handle to the left. The Rose Gate will then open   
on its own."  
  
The scarlet-maned chieftain did as directed, peering down   
into the area long enough to align pin with hollow, then   
dropping the brooch into its resting place. White light   
erupted from the depression, sweeping over the large stone   
gateway; the very marble took on a warmth and luster it had   
lacked before. Fingers curled around the handle, Touga made   
ready to twist the object to the left when the sound of   
hooves came from close by.  
  
"That's far enough, Tyger. Open that and I'll skewer you   
where you stand."  
  
A faint smirk curled across Touga's lips as he lowered his   
hand and slowly turned around. He knew -- somehow -- that   
only he could open the Rose Gate and that only he could   
ascend the stairs beyond. Such was the outcome of letting   
the brooch taste his blood in the manner that it had. It   
would be far better to deal with the Panther now then to   
tempt the other chieftain's wrath. Glancing up at where the   
fierce-looking noblewoman sat astride her horse, a   
deadly-looking sword in her hand and pointed straight at   
him. "I wouldn't advise doing so," he cautioned. "No one   
else can open that gate."  
  
Blue-green eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Then I suggest you   
doing what I say or no one will get that sword."  
  
"Just who do you think you are?" Utena asked, astounded at   
the woman's boldness. "What lies beyond the Rose Gate isn't   
meant for you."  
  
Those cold eyes turned their turquoise gaze to stare at the   
Kiryuu prince's companion. The pretty little boy had his   
nose into things that weren't his concern. "And just who   
the hell are you to address me so *and* dictate for whom   
that sword is meant?" Juri queried, her voice icy.  
  
"Prince Juri, meet Lady Utena Tenjou, from the lowlands.   
Lady Utena, this is Prince Juri, the Golden Panther,   
chieftain of Clan Arisugawa," Touga interjected, smoothly   
answering both questions.  
  
"Prince?" Utena asked, astounded at the masculine title   
applied to a woman.  
  
"Lady?" questioned Juri at the very same moment, staring   
back in equal astonishment. Now that it was pointed out,   
the girl's femininity was apparent in her facial structure.  
  
Smiling at the reactions of the two of them, the   
scarlet-haired Kiryuu stifled a chuckle. His dark azure   
gaze flicking over to stop on the still mounted Shiori, he   
said, "As for her right to dictate, my lady prince, she has   
been sent by the Fey who rule this place to find the wielder   
of the sword. However, *someone* has some explaining to   
do." Gesturing toward the brunette still astride her   
palfrey at Juri's side, his voice took on a steely tone.   
"Is this why you ran off, Shiori? To tell the Panther of   
the sword?"  
  
"You don't understand what's going on," the former   
handmaiden replied, her voice harsh.  
  
"Enough," the woman prince called out, cutting off her   
companion's words. "Leave it to me."  
  
"Who are you really?" the lowlander noble asked, staring at   
the one she had taken in during the dead of winter.  
  
"She is Lady Shiori, and one of my retainers. That's all   
that needs concern you," Juri insisted.  
  
"Your retainer there spent a number of months being Lady   
Utena's maidservant," Touga pointed out. "I'm rather   
curious as to why she did so."  
  
"As am I," Utena added, crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
Frowning, the Golden Panther looked the two of them over.   
"She was attempting to help me discover the whereabouts of   
Lord Ruka. In doing so, she learned that the one holding   
him wants to exchange the sword known as Love's Honor for   
him."  
  
"You came to me hoping to learn where the sword was in order   
to have someone steal it," the pink-haired maiden growled,   
astonished at the effrontery.  
  
Quick as lightning, the point of Juri's sword swung over to   
menace the other woman. "Tell her to curb her tongue if she   
wishes to retain it, Lord Touga."  
  
Just as swiftly, Utena pulled her own weapon and slapped   
aside the sunset-haired chieftain's blade, determination in   
her sea-blue eyes. "I shall not. You have no idea what   
you're messing with, Prince Juri. That sword was not meant   
for *you*."  
  
The Red Tyger swallowed hard, wondering if the two   
warrioresses would come to blows. "Enough. Lady Utena,   
Prince Juri, let's try to deal with this peacefully. This   
sort of discord is what will only help Lord Akio."  
  
"Please! Lord Akio's the one that wants the sword. If he   
doesn't get it, then he'll murder the one I love," Shiori   
called out All eyes turned to the short-haired brunette,   
including the men on either side -- the warriors had stopped   
fighting the moment the two chieftains had begun speaking --   
and the girl felt her cheeks redden at being the focus of   
everyone's attention. "You must believe me. He took Lord   
Ruka captive during a scouting mission and he means to keep   
my love in torment until he gains Love's Honor. A man came   
bearing tokens of my love, giving me a message to attend a   
meeting at a certain place and time, and it was there -- "  
  
"Let me handle this, Shiori," Juri again insisted,   
interrupting the other's tearful narrative. Giving the   
lowlander a cold stare, the Arisugawa prince sheathed her   
sword. "For the sake of my retainer, I'll deal with this   
peacefully. To make a long story short, Lord Akio made it   
certain that he would only release Lord Ruka for this sword   
and he sent Lady Shiori on her way. She's done what she's   
needed to do to see her love returned home safely. Once she   
knew where this place was, she hastened to me, told me what   
had happened, and appealed to me for help." Her gaze   
settling on the other highland chieftain, her frown   
remained. "You know what could happen should Lord Ruka be   
murdered. I will have a third of my followers in chaos as   
they sort out who would be prince next at a time when Lord   
Akio is threatening to war on us all."  
  
"All the better to aid me, Prince Juri," Touga countered.   
"I'm fairly certain that the Phoenix has black magic at his   
disposal. If he gains this sword, he may become   
unstoppable. Lady Utena came to the highlands seeking one   
worthy to wield Love's Honor, and I was about to attempt it   
just now."  
  
"Love's Honor belongs to the one chosen to be the Champion   
of Love itself," Utena added, slipping her sword back in its   
scabbard. "And that one becomes the defender of all those   
who honor Love."  
  
"That isn't going to help me," Juri snapped.  
  
"My lady prince, listen to me. Allow me to open the gate   
and attempt to gain the sword," the Kiryuu chieftain said.   
"Should I be deemed worthy, I will do everything in my power   
to help you recover Lord Ruka, including offering to meet   
Lord Akio with the sword and negotiate an agreement."  
  
The Golden Panther gave no reply. Instead, she gracefully   
dismounted and pushed her way past the two standing there   
before the faintly glowing edifice. She would accomplish   
this on her own; she needed no one's assistance. Ignoring   
the other chieftain's startled expression and the look of   
horrified shock on the lowlander girl's face, Juri grabbed   
hold of the stone handle. She knew, from having heard some   
of the conversation between them earlier, in which direction   
to turn the object. Giving it a twist, she was astounded to   
find the handle immobile. It would not turn at all.   
________________  
  
High above, in the ever-present sea of flowers, all that   
remained of Anshii lifted her head at the feeling of   
something touching the Rose Gate. The wind picked up, a   
coldly bitter one, racing through the bushes and carrying   
with it rose leaves and blood-red petals. Nearby, before the   
tender's emerald eyes, one of her prized blooms suddenly   
took on a frozen, crystalline beauty before shattering into   
a million pieces under the force of the howling wind.   
Heartless doll that she was, even she could feel the icy   
chill of this breeze to the center of her bones. Dropping   
her watering can, she hugged herself, slender form   
shivering. Whatever touched the Rose Gate, it was baneful   
to all that made this place exist. Deep within, Anshii   
hoped that the bitter wind would swiftly pass.  
________________  
  
With a look of disdain, Juri let go of the handle and took a   
step back from the construct of white, pink-veined marble.   
So the Tyger was right and not just anyone could open the   
gateway, even with the key in the lock.  
  
Utena stared at her, astounded. The overly confident prince   
should have been thrown back by a blast of magic the moment   
she touched the Rose Gate, yet nothing had happened. (What   
sort of person is this?) the young warrioress wondered.  
  
Touga remained silent, observing both the lady prince as   
well as his own female companion. Noting that Utena looked   
as if something she expected to happen had not, he wondered   
what she had thought would occur while he waited for Prince   
Juri's next move.  
  
For a moment, the Arisugawa chieftain scowled at the   
still-locked gateway, reluctant to accept that she could not   
make it move. Mindful of Shiori's violet eyes upon her and   
knowing how much returning Lord Ruka meant to the brunette   
retainer, Juri then turned her scowl to the other   
highlander, stepping back again so that he would have plenty   
of room in which to achieve his task.  
  
Realizing that she meant for him to carry on, Touga gave his   
peer a slight nod before turning back to the massive doors.   
Once more taking hold, he wondered why the other prince was   
adamant about this. As overlord, she could certainly   
dictate to the Tsuchiya some manner of leadership during   
Lord Ruka's absence, yet she seemed to be doing all this for   
the man himself. Mulling it over, he gave the stone handle   
a twist.  
  
This time the appendage moved smoothly. The Kiryuu   
chieftain felt the door begin to rise. He let go and took a   
step back, watching in wonder as the twin marble panels   
within the freestanding frame transformed into something   
spectacular. Under the grinding sound of stone on stone, he   
could also hear the sound of running water, though a swift   
look around revealed none to be seen. Around the glade,   
everyone was watching, wide-eyed, as the stone rose upward,   
the metal gates within sliding apart. With a final solid   
sound, the movement stopped, the way beyond open.  
  
Marble petals of a great stone rose reached upward toward   
the evergreen boughs, sprouting from the top of the   
structure. Under the sculpture, Juri could see the other   
side of the oaken glade. Whatever the entry had guarded, to   
the Arisugawa chieftain it seemed to be nothing at all.   
"What goes here?" she demanded, cold gaze on her   
contemporary.  
  
Scarlet eyebrows rose in puzzlement, a gesture echoed by   
Utena as well. Touga tilted his head slightly; the other   
prince's reaction was an unexpected one. "What do you   
mean?"  
  
"There's only the other side of the clearing through there."  
  
Their astonishment deepening, Utena and Touga glanced to one   
another and then back to the stern chieftain. Could she not   
see the stairs that were so obvious? The Red Tyger wondered   
about that, having heard of Prince Juri being a skeptical   
one.  
  
"But certainly you see the rose-covered stairway?" the   
pink-haired maiden asked, her voice with a puzzled tone.  
  
"I see exactly what I said I do," Juri snapped. If they   
were determined to make a fool of her, she would show them.   
Squaring her shoulders, she stormed through the now-open   
gateway --   
  
-- and found herself unable to enter the area underneath   
the marble frame. Feeling as if she had walked into an   
invisible wall, Juri nearly fell as she stepped back, her   
body jarred by the force of her momentum. Astonished, she   
looked to the pair standing there to either side of the   
gateway; the Arisugawa chieftain's expression changed to a   
scowl as she recovered her composure.  
  
Meeting the other woman's gaze, Utena nodded toward her   
masculine companion. "Lord Touga, if you would continue, I   
shall do my best to explain to my lady prince what is going   
on," she softly suggested. The important thing at the   
moment would be to see if the Kiryuu chieftain was truly the   
one worthy to wield Love's Honor. Once that was established,   
there would be time to see what could be done to help the   
Arisugawa with their problem.  
  
The tall redhead smiled at his companion before turning and   
stepping through the Rose Gate. Unlike the other prince,   
Touga easily passed between the white stone pillars,   
stepping onto the first step of the rose-adorned staircase.   
Glancing upward, he could see the stairs wound their way   
upward through the thick pine forest, seemingly reaching   
toward the sky. Up there awaited his fate. Steeling his   
resolve, he continued onward.  
  
"Just what is going on?" Juri demanded, seeing both the ease   
of Touga's passing and then the Red Tyger's form disappear   
into thin air.  
  
"He's gone to be judged," Utena responded. "If he's found   
worthy, then the sword called Love's Honor will be his by   
right."  
  
"But what about Lord Ruka?" Shiori called out, her   
expression one of desperation.  
  
The slender lowlander turned her aquamarine gaze to her   
former handmaiden. "You heard him. Should he win the   
sword, he will find a way to help you recover your missing   
love. As the defender of Amor and those who follow it, such   
a task is worthy of the office he would claim." Noting the   
skeptical looks given to her from both ladies, Utena thought   
over how best to explain to them about the Champion of Love   
and the magic sword.  
________________  
  
The bitter winds left as swiftly as they came. Slowly   
relaxing, Anshii glanced about, noting a number of the   
brilliant roses stripped of some of their ruddy petals.   
Then came the feel of someone beginning to climb the   
stairway, the bushes around her swaying and whispering in a   
breeze only they could sense. Turning to stare in   
astonishment at the broken archway at the edge of the   
garden, she blinked as sudden light flooded over the area as   
if a cloud had departed from in front of the sun.  
  
The Light of the World. It was here once again, casting off   
the gloom and cold that had settled over the Rose Arbor.   
Were she still in possession of a heart and soul, both would   
be leaping in glee at the return.  
  
But she was only a projection, the shell of what used to be.   
Her eyes blank above her faint smile, Anshii awaited the   
Light of the World's ascent to the roses.  
________________  
  
Why was she doing it? That was the question that weighed on   
the would-be champion's mind while his lean form took the   
stairs one by one. Prince Juri's concern seemed to run   
deeper then her duties to clan. In fact, were he in the   
same position, he would write off his retainer as a casualty   
and force the subordinate clan to pick someone of their   
royal blood to be their prince. To do otherwise would allow   
Lord Akio to retain a weapon against both the retainer and   
the ruling clans at a time the Phoenix should be stripped of   
as many sources of power as possible. From what he knew of   
the Golden Panther, she was a person of action and   
intelligence, yet what she was doing now seemed contrary to   
her usual self.  
  
Why endanger two clans for the sake of one man? Her people   
already loved her, seeing her as fair and just in a mostly   
uncertain world. Though unaware of the Tsuchiyas' feelings   
toward their overlord, Touga suspected they liked her and   
were loyal; there had been no rumors of troubles between the   
two clans before.  
  
Chivalry then? Certainly, it was the ruler's place to   
ransom a captured bondsman; the oath of fealty made it the   
duty of the liege to protect the vassal. But the ransom in   
this case was beyond what any lord would be expected to give   
up. If Lady Shiori had accurately described the worth of   
Love's Honor, then the Panther had to be aware that giving   
one such as Lord Akio the sword would bode ill for all the   
highlanders. Again, why risk both clans -- and more -- for   
the sake of this one retainer chieftain?  
  
Was it Lord Ruka himself? Did the Panther value him that   
much? As he took another step up the flight of stairs,   
Touga found himself shaking his head in denial. No, that   
thought didn't have the ring of truth. Granted, Prince Juri   
more then likely valued her retainer quite a bit -- she was   
the sort to value all under her care, from what he knew of   
her -- but to give up a magic sword into the Ebon Phoenix's   
keeping? If anything, Juri would be the type to gain the   
sword just so that she could assure herself that it couldn't   
be used against her people.   
  
However, it did have the feel of being done for personal   
reasons. So if not for Lord Ruka, then whom? Cobalt blue   
eyes narrowed slightly as Touga recalled snippets of the   
confrontation down in the glen. Lady Shiori was Lord Ruka's   
love, and thus had been her motivation to learn what she   
could of Love's Honor by being near the one with the key to   
the sword. And each time the brunette noble had attempted   
to defend herself, the Panther was there, saying that she   
would handle it in Lady Shiori's stead. Add to that the   
fact that Lady Shiori seemed to be in little trouble for   
disappearing from her prince's court for months . . .  
  
Was it possible then that the personal reason was Lady   
Shiori? If that was true, then what was the value of the   
girl to the Panther? But even as that thought crossed his   
mind as he neared the top of the stairs, he knew that he had   
stumbled upon the truth. Shiori was the reason, and the why   
of it --   
  
" -- Is love," he murmured to himself, glancing up at the   
lantern-adorned archway looming before him. Love was a   
motivator beyond all logic at times, a powerful force   
sometimes hard to deny. Even the most cool-headed could be   
induced to commit seemingly foolish acts for the sake of a   
loved one. Prince Juri loved Shiori in some manner; that   
alone explained the risk the Panther was taking.  
  
Love. Once again, the path of his destiny was overshadowed   
by that powerful concept. Taking the last step, he paused   
in astonishment at the sight that greeted him.  
  
Roses. Thousands of the blooms, their fragrance scenting   
every breath he took. A lake of blood red, they covered   
what appeared to be a platform high in the sky. A seemingly   
infinite backdrop of cloud-filled azure surrounded the lofty   
garden. Yet even as he scanned over the scene with his dark   
blue gaze, he got the sense of somehow having come home.   
Puzzled by the feeling that he belonged here, Touga   
carefully stepped forward through the shattered archway.  
  
The figure that approached her left what remained of Anshii   
feeling confused. This man, this redheaded stranger, was   
the Light of the World? How could that be, when she had   
seen what remained of her beloved earlier? Yet the sunshine   
radiating benevolently down upon the whole of the garden   
could not be a mistake, nor could the sense of this being   
her beloved -- somehow -- be wrong.  
  
The Fey was there, the same gorgeous image that he had seen   
in his dreams and visions. Her long violet hair loose and   
glimmering in the sunlight, she carried with her the sense   
of being the archetype of all femininity. Suddenly nervous,   
the image of her slender brown hand wielding a shining sword   
in order to cleave a purple rose in two playing through his   
mind, the Kiryuu prince made his way toward her.  
  
Anshii remained silent as she waited for him; green eyes   
stayed focused on the unfamiliar flesh that clothed the   
oh-so-familiar soul. If this man was the one she had hoped   
for, then who was it that had come wearing the image of her   
beloved . . .? The rose tender lifted a hand while her eyes   
widened, calling to her an object that would help prove   
things one way or another. The weight of the object resting   
against her palm, Anshii glanced down and saw the gold and   
rubies sparkling there.  
  
The Champion's brooch, the seal of her beloved's power.   
Energy filled it, making the gems and metal faintly glow.   
Recalling how dead it had become, how lusterless, after the   
sundering had destroyed him, to see it alive now meant only   
one thing. This man was the one she had sensed. *This* man   
was the one she had been expecting, not the shadow clad in a   
well-loved form.  
  
Stopping before the woman clad in a royal gown, a tiara of   
golden rays adorning the crown of her head, Touga gave the   
regal figure a bow of respectful greeting. "Lady of the   
roses, 'tis an honor to stand before you. I am Lord Touga,   
prince of Clan Kiryuu, sent here by the noble lady who seeks   
a new Champion of Love."  
  
"Prince Touga of the Kiryuu," Anshii replied, putting a name   
to the unfamiliar form. "I am Anshii, tender of this   
garden."  
  
"Well met, my lady," he responded, straightening. "I wish   
to become the new Champion of Amor."  
  
"Love is not for the faint of heart, for even as it gives   
the greatest of inspiration, it leaves one open to the   
greatest of despair."  
  
"I would risk my heart and more," Touga answered, sincere.   
He wanted this, for the sake of all those he could defend.   
He desired to be the light that held back the darkness, of   
being a source of hope in a chaotic world.  
  
"Love is not an easy road, for the way is rocky and many   
times the path uncertain," Anshii countered, continuing to   
stare at the scarlet-haired man.  
  
"I wish to be the trailblazer, to make a path others may   
follow. Through the guidance of the Virtues of Amor, I have   
what I need to create my own way where no trail exists."  
  
"Love is overshadowed by a cold and bitter world. The chaos   
and darkness overwhelmed he who was the Light of the World,   
destroying him." Though as passive and emotionless as   
before, the tone of the Fey woman's voice took on a note of   
warning and infinite sorrow.  
  
"I want to be that Light," the Red Tyger insisted, his   
desire remaining strong.  
  
For a long moment, Anshii merely stared at the mortal   
standing before her. Even the flesh around him could not   
dim the radiance she sensed within him, though he seemed as   
ignorant as any other human. "If you truly desire this,   
then cloak yourself in your belief in the Virtues. With   
them as your armor, reach into the roses and pluck from them   
the white one that grows in their midst." She gestured to   
the left, a silvery light appearing in response to her   
words. "But be wary, for the thorns surrounding the white   
rose are poisoned with hatred. If hate has ever been your   
master, then you would do better to not even try."  
  
Glancing over at the indicated direction, Touga's cobalt   
gaze was caught by a gleam of bright light, like a tiny star   
in a sky of blood. He made his way between the thorny bushes   
toward the source of the radiance, drawn by the argent   
sparkle. Once there, he looked down in fascination. Near   
the ground and guarded by the prickly canes of the larger   
plants, a small rose bush bore a single delicate bud of   
purest white. The shining flower blossomed fully even as he   
watched, the snowy petals unfurling to expose the glowing   
center. Gasping softly at the exquisite beauty of the rose,   
the Kiryuu chieftain carefully lowered himself to a knee.  
  
He would need to pick the flower by the Fey's command.   
Heeding the tender's words, Touga took a moment to reflect   
on the six virtues that were the traits held dear by those   
who followed the tenants of Amor. He was certain the   
Virtues were strong in his heart. He trusted himself to be   
able to complete this task with the strength they would give   
him. He reached through the bushes, feeling the points of   
the thorns slide over his skin without breaking it. A   
slight tug and the bloom came off easily into his hand.   
Closing his fist around it, he pulled his limb from the   
plants. He rose to his feet, then returned to the regal   
woman's side, offering her the snow-white object.  
  
Eyes the same color as the lush leaves surrounding them   
stared down at the delicate item still glowing like a small   
star. "You are . . ." Were he not the one, the light would   
have died. "What remained of Anshii's emotions, both dread   
and sadness, stirred deep within her. Stepping forward, the   
dusky-skinned maiden pinned the Champion's brooch to the   
cloth covering the young prince's left shoulder. "This is   
yours by right, Champion of Love."  
  
Touga held his breath as the Fey invested him with the ruby   
and gold object, though he wondered momentarily how it had   
come to be in the gorgeous woman's possession. The moment   
Anshii stepped back he felt the weight of something settle   
on his shoulders. A grave sense of responsibility -- the   
burden of the Champion -- enveloped him like a mantle.   
Squaring his shoulders, he welcomed the challenge, sensing   
the light within able and willing to take on the weight of   
the world.  
  
"But as for the manifestation of your power, I fear you must   
wrest it from the shadow that has claimed it," Anshii   
continued, clasping her hands together in front of the full   
skirt of her royal gown and focusing her eyes on the   
rose-covered ground.  
  
Dread washed over the scarlet-maned chieftain. "What do you   
mean?"  
  
"Where Light can be found, there will always be Shadow.   
When the way was opened, one came bearing the look of the   
fallen Champion and I did not recognize the Shadow within."  
  
The new Champion stared at her, stunned. The Ebon Phoenix.   
It had to be him. "You gave Love's Honor to Lord Akio?"  
  
"I thought he was the one that had opened the way. I did   
not know he was the Shadow of the Champion," the rose tender   
explained.  
  
Touga frowned, glancing back to the shattered archway that   
opened on to the stairs. Somehow, he would have to find the   
Phoenix and take from him the power of the Champion of Love.  
________________  
  
Prince Juri stared at the boyish lowlander, frustrated and   
astonished both. "And you expect me to believe all this rot   
you're telling me?" she asked, voice harsh. "A fallen Fey   
Champion, a magic sword, and the power to change the world?   
Do you take me for a fool?"  
  
"Of course not, Your Highness," Utena replied, opting to   
address the other noblewoman in a neutral manner befitting   
her station. She understood how bizarre it would seem to   
one unaware of all that had gone on. Glancing about, the   
rose-haired warrioress noted that while Juri, Shiori and   
herself remained near the still-open Rose Gate, Wakaba had   
stayed in the center of the clearing while the two groups of   
clansmen warily watched one another near the beginning of   
the woodland trail, Tatsuya among them. "But consider that   
Lord Akio believes in all this as well. Why else would he   
use the capture of your vassal to manipulate someone into   
fetching the sword?"  
  
The sunset-haired woman nodded, realizing the truth in the   
other's statement. It mattered little what the belief was,   
only that faith in it was enough to motivate the Phoenix   
into causing all this heartache to Juri's beloved Shiori.   
"Well then, we'll just have to do something about that."  
  
The riders burst out of the fog-enshrouded woods with no   
warning. Utena blinked, taken by surprise, as a number of   
dark-clad warriors galloped into the clearing from all   
sides. Gasping, she watched as the strangers closed with   
the Arisugawa and Kiryuu, the sound of steel ringing out as   
weapons were drawn. Chaos erupted around them as the men   
engaged. Horses neighed and men shouted while blades   
clashed. Running for her mare, Utena swallowed hard. On   
foot, she was at a major disadvantage.  
  
Cursing under her breath at the sudden attack, Juri dashed   
toward her charger. While she leapt gracefully up into the   
saddle, she shouted, "Stay near me, Shiori!" Pulling her   
blade, the Golden Panther was determined to protect her   
beloved.  
  
Fire exploded into existence next to Utena's palfrey; both   
horse and maiden screamed in sudden fright. Pulling back   
violently and falling to the ground, the lowlander noble   
shielded her eyes from the abrupt heat. The thunder of the   
buff-colored mare's hooves were lost in the sounds of   
pitched battle filling the clearing.  
  
Juri glanced about while whirling her mount around,   
searching for the most immediate threat. The strangers were   
clad in all black, with no identifying marks. Seemingly   
more interested in keeping the clansmen busy then attacking   
either Shiori or herself, the woman prince noted that even   
the lowlander handmaiden remained unmolested.  
  
Fright and determination both in her violet eyes, Shiori   
pulled her own short blade and made ready. The ring on her   
hand felt warm, like it had before when the ambush against   
the Kiryuu and Saionji had taken place. How she wished she   
had found it possible to remove it once she had made up her   
mind to enlist the help of her childhood friend, the Golden   
Panther.  
  
"Lady Utena!" Wakaba shouted, watching her lady fall after   
that frightening gout of flame had appeared from nowhere.   
Spurring her palfrey into motion, the good-natured   
handmaiden raced toward the fallen warrioress.  
  
"I'm okay!" the woman in question shouted in reply, picking   
herself up off the ground. Utena glanced about and pulled   
her sword, her long hair flowing about her. The blast and   
her fall had knocked her hat from her head. Glancing about,   
she looked for any immediate danger, taking note that her   
horse had fled.  
  
From the fog wafting around the ancient trees, a figure on a   
magnificent white horse rode out into the clearing. Clad in   
white, pale lavender hair flowing about his shoulders, he   
made for a princely sight. Utena gasped, recognizing the   
Ebon Phoenix himself; his presence seemed to fill the   
clearing. Somehow, he seemed more powerful, more princely,   
then she remembered from her few glimpses of him in the   
royal court of the southern kingdom.  
  
All was going well, Akio decided, a smile on his handsome   
face. His men were keeping the highlanders here well   
occupied, leaving the true target wide open. That he had   
used a bit of glamour to chase away his prey's mount was   
well worth the prize at hand. The innocent maiden that had   
held the Champion's brooch for so long was the perfect   
catalyst for what he hoped to achieve.  
  
But a chill was here in the glade, a bitter coldness   
unexpected. The smile faltered as emerald eyes swept over   
the scene. Settling upon the fierce-looking Arisugawa   
chieftain, Akio frowned. There was something dangerous   
about that one. Prudently deciding to linger only as long   
as needed, the Ebon Phoenix spurred his stallion into a   
canter.  
  
(Lord Akio!) Juri softly growled, noting the appearance of   
Shiori's tormentor. That he was here meant that he too had   
come to claim the sword on his own. Should he do that, then   
the chances to recover her missing vassal were greatly   
diminished. "I command you to return Lord Ruka to me!" she   
shouted at the other chieftain.  
  
"I follow no command but my own," Akio retorted. He kept   
his gaze focused on his quarry who was even now facing him   
with sword in hand. (Come, little maiden . . .)  
  
The Phoenix dared ignore her? Snarling, Juri urged her   
mount into a full gallop, determined to exact some measure   
of satisfaction from the other prince's hide. Her charger's   
hooves thundered across the emerald grass as she closed the   
distance between them.  
  
The chilling frost came closer. Dread filling him, Akio   
felt his strength drain away, sapped by the unbearable cold.   
What was this, to take his energy so? A grim expression   
settled on his face as he yanked his stallion's head by the   
reins; he veered away from the vengeful angel and shouted   
for his people to engage the Arisugawa chieftain.  
  
Noting the distraction, Wakaba put heels to her palfrey,   
urging the mare to greater speed. The brunette lady in   
waiting gripped her saddle tightly with her knees and prayed   
to whatever beneficial powers were looking down upon the   
scene. A daring lean over and she scooped her lady up from   
the ground. "Hold tight!" the brave servant yelled while   
sliding back, doing her best to help the lowlander noble   
perch upon the saddle before her.  
  
Utena was very grateful for her handmaiden's assistance.   
Reaching forward, she grabbed for the reins with her free   
hand, her other still gripping her sharp weapon. She gained   
control of the galloping mount and turned the mare to face   
the one apparently responsible for the attack. She could   
not let him climb the stairs to the Rose Arbor!  
  
"I will not be denied, Phoenix!" A swift look showed Juri   
that the sable-clad men were hastening to do their leader's   
bidding despite the hindrance of the Arisugawa and Kiryuu   
warriors. Not much longer and she would be cut off from   
engaging the one responsible. Determination in her eyes,   
Juri chased after the dusky-skinned lord.  
  
He could feel the cold surrounding him, sucking away both   
glamour and power. This one's very presence was more then   
just a danger; somehow, the woman prince was potentially   
lethal by her existence alone. Recognizing her   
stubbornness, Akio steeled himself as best he could. One   
swift but decisive melee and he would improve his chances to   
escape the deadly frost. Wheeling his mount around, Akio   
charged the sunset-maned chieftain.  
  
Steel rang against steel as the two locked weapons. Juri   
fought with uncanny accuracy and graceful speed; Akio   
matched her in skill and dexterity. But the encounter was   
lasting too long, the bitter cold too draining, for the   
lavender haired prince's health. Each swing became harder   
and each moment made his limbs feel as if they were encased   
in lead. "Retreat from this place if you wish to ever see   
your Lord Ruka again," Akio hissed.  
  
"You will not dictate to me," Juri growled in reply, giving   
her opponent a jab that he didn't quite parry. She felt her   
blade vibrate with a momentary connection. The fight was   
almost hers; she could taste victory. "I will make you   
release my vassal."  
  
He couldn't win this way. Already he could feel the chill   
in his bones. Desperate, he spurred his mount into a   
retreat, his frantic gaze settling upon the figure of Lady   
Shiori. Perhaps he could use the brunette as leverage   
against the Arisugawa ruler. From Lady Shiori's own   
admission, Prince Juri was a close, lifelong friend. The   
maiden had been useful before . . .  
  
(He's going after Shiori,) Utena thought while watching the   
Ohtori chieftain disengage Prince Juri. "Hold tight,   
Wakaba," the slender warrioress ordered, echoing the very   
words the lady in waiting had earlier uttered. Feeling the   
other girl's arms wrap tightly around her waist, Utena   
charged toward Lord Akio, determined to intercept him before   
he could reach Lady Shiori's side.  
  
"Damn you!" Juri shouted at her foe's retreating form. A   
firm tug on the reins and she gave chase, tension flooding   
through her when she recognized the other chieftain's new   
target. (No! Not Shiori!) But before she could do more   
then urge her mount faster, a number of the sable-clad men   
swiftly approached, keeping her from reaching her beloved   
friend's side. All at once she found herself in a desperate   
fight with four to one odds.  
  
Utena maneuvered the palfrey between Shiori and Akio,   
slashing at the elegant prince in defense of the former   
handmaiden. Determined to do something to keep the other   
from harming Shiori or somehow ascending the stairs, the   
lowlander went on the attack, looking to incapacitate the   
Ebon Phoenix.  
  
Good, the Panther's deadly presence was distant enough; Akio   
could feel his strength and power returning. Countering his   
prey's skilled attacks, the Ohtori chieftain faked a   
continued weakness as he searched for some way to quickly   
achieve his goal. He was not willing to risk everything on   
a bet that his men could hold Prince Juri at bay for a long   
while. (If I can keep them occupied long enough to regain   
enough glamour . . .)  
  
Muted light glinted off metal as the rose-haired warrioress   
sought a weakness in her older foe's defenses. Wakaba held   
on tightly and huddled against her mistress's sheltering   
form. Each swing and thrust was almost easily turned aside   
despite the Phoenix's apparent weakness. His encounter with   
Prince Juri must have cost Lord Akio dearly in some way not   
immediately apparent. Utena pressed her attack, seeking to   
use her foe's weakness against him.  
  
Juri snarled in frustration. The moment one of her opponents   
was downed with a stabbing strike to the chest, another came   
to replace him. Around them, Kiryuu and Arisugawa continued   
to fall though the highlanders made a good accounting for   
themselves in the number of black-clothed men lying about   
the woodland glade. Redoubling her efforts, the Golden   
Panther fought viciously despite the toll such activity was   
beginning to take on her endurance. At least Shiori   
remained safe for the moment; a quick glance assured Juri   
that the other lady was away from the pockets of conflict.  
  
His power had returned. Now was the time to strike.   
Emerald eyes narrowing in concentration, Akio burst into a   
flurry of activity, calling to mind his every skill with a   
blade. The hammering blows were barely parried; each one   
made their ears ring with the sound of the clashing swords.   
Feeling his prey's defenses weakening, Akio slapped aside   
the maiden's weapon. A torque of his wrist and the girl was   
disarmed; the wrested sword fell to the ground below. The   
Phoenix lunged forward, grabbing Utena by the tunic with his   
free hand and pulled her to him with a strength that left   
her utterly astounded.  
  
"No!" Wakaba shouted the moment her mistress was torn from   
her grasp. Glaring at the man that dared take away *her*   
Utena, she yelled, "Let her *go*! Leave her alone!"  
  
Akio ignored the furious handmaiden's protests. He called   
for the retreat as he sheathed his sword, the maiden chosen   
to search for the Champion of Love held in a tight grasp.   
Having captured his prize, he was unwilling to risk being in   
the debilitating presence of the Arisugawa chieftain any   
longer. He rode swiftly toward the woods surrounding the   
clearing while easily keeping the struggling woman in his   
control. The moment he plunged into the fog, he wove   
glamour around himself and those following him. To the   
others, they would simply disappear into the silvery mist.  
  
They were leaving! And she was no closer to recovering her   
vassal then before. Parrying the blow of one of her   
opponents given to cover his retreat, Juri answered with a   
swift strike that caught the man in the side. The   
sable-clad warrior fell to the ground with a scream of   
agony. "After them!" the woman prince ordered before   
inverting her sword and leaning over, making sure the man   
she had downed would never rise again.  
  
Kiryuu and Arisugawa warriors both did as the Golden Panther   
ordered, plunging into the fog-enshrouded forest. Juri   
dispassionately wiped the blood from her blade then searched   
the clearing for Lady Shiori. Finding her friend intact and   
apparently in no distress, the tangerine-haired highlander   
rode over to the other lady's side. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I believe so," Shiori answered with a smile.  
  
"He's got Lady Utena!" protested Wakaba. Her brown gaze   
focused on the Arisugawa chieftain, the ponytailed brunette   
continued, "Just don't stand there! Go save her!"  
  
"The moment my men find their trail, they'll signal," Juri   
replied in a cool tone.  
  
But the signal never came.  
________________  
  
He would have to find the Ebon Phoenix. Everything rested   
on somehow claiming the Champion's power from the one who   
had stolen it. His expression grim, Touga descended the   
final steps in the rose-adorned marble staircase.  
  
Carnage greeted him the moment he stepped forth from the   
Rose Gate and re-entered the mortal realm. Bodies littered   
the ground -- men and horses alike -- and blood stained the   
emerald grass. Fear spiked through him as he stood there   
and searched for his men, for the lady he had come to love.   
While he abruptly ran forward, the Rose Gate ground into   
movement. The great stone rose slowly lowered itself while   
the metal grilles and marble panels slide closed against the   
world. "Lady Utena!" he called out, not seeing any sign of   
the beautiful maiden.  
  
"She's gone," answered a voice Touga recognized as that of   
the Arisugawa prince. "Where's the sword?"  
  
"Gone," the Red Tyger responded, whirling to face his   
contemporary. "Lord Akio made it here before us and   
convinced the holder to surrender the sword. What the devil   
happened here? Where's Lady Utena?"  
  
"Lord Akio has her. While you were within, he attacked."  
  
Touga stared at the other chieftain, stunned. "Where did he   
take her?"  
  
"I can't say. They vanished without a trace," Juri replied.   
Glancing to where Wakaba and Shiori tended to some of the   
wounded, she gestured to the knot of people. "We've both   
lost men, and the wounded need treatment."  
  
"I mean to recover Love's Honor and Lady Utena from him, no   
matter what it takes," Touga vowed in a voice ringing with   
conviction. "Will you assist me, Prince Juri?"  
  
The Arisugawa chieftain gave the scarlet-maned prince a cold   
smile. "I have a score to settle with Lord Akio myself.   
Let us regroup at Grove and speak about what should be done   
now."  
  
Touga nodded, knowing that exactly that would be the most   
prudent course at the moment.  
  



	16. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen  
  
A mistake. Though it had been an honest one, it could not   
be denied that even now the power of the Champion rested in   
the hands of that part that had been excised from her   
beloved. Anshii stared down at the miniature rose bush   
sheltered beneath the canes of its larger brethren. Anger   
and outrage came to her through her connection to the Light   
of the World. Something had happened in the mortal realm   
while he had been here to claim what was rightfully his.  
  
Her hands remaining clasped before her, the violet-haired   
Fey closed leaf green eyes. She would do what she could to   
undo her mistake. The whole of the Rose Arbor slipped away   
as Anshii abandoned her tenuous form; the regal gold-trimmed   
red gown fell empty to the ground.  
  
She would go to where the Shadow lay and discover what she   
could.  
________________  
  
"Let me go! What do you want with me anyway?" Twisting   
back as best she could, the Phoenix's arms still strong   
around her, Utena glanced at her captor.  
  
A grin remained on Lord Akio's face. What a charming young   
woman the lowlander had become. It would almost be a shame,   
but Love's Honor would be only a sword to him until the   
prophecy could be fulfilled. "I wish merely to become   
better acquainted with the one chosen to find the new   
Champion as well as keep a leash on the Tyger," he replied.  
  
The rose-haired maiden gasped. "You know of the Champion?"  
  
"Of course I do, my dear lady." The grin remained. "And   
I've known of your quest. I also know that long ago, you   
saw the suffering of Love herself."  
  
Utena blinked in astonishment, her body going slack in her   
captor's grip. "But how . . .?" she asked while staring up   
at the darkly handsome face of the man holding her.  
  
Emerald eyes turned from staring at the road to glance down   
at the woman. For the first time, the two actually locked   
gazes . . .  
  
A shudder ran through Utena's slender form. Something deep   
within those gorgeous green eyes scared her, a something   
that was dark, shadowy, alien. Rumors abounded that the   
Ohtori prince was not a mortal but rather a Fey banished to   
the realms of man; in that instant, she knew that the rumors   
were truth.  
  
While his captive shivered, Akio was overwhelmed by   
recognition. Though the skin was fair, the eyes a hue of   
the ocean and not of green growing things, the flesh   
imperfect clay, the light deep within the maiden's eyes was   
a familiar one. (This, then, is what happened to the   
spark?) Even as he asked his silent question, he knew it   
was true. It would be just like her. No wonder this one   
has found her way to the grave of the fallen Champion when   
she was a young child.  
  
The young warrioress closed her eyes, willing the   
uncomfortable contact be broken. Even so she felt oddly   
drained and drowning in a sense of unease. She turned away   
and did her best to ignore the man holding her in his grasp.  
  
"How?" Akio echoed, wondering how to react in light of his   
discovery. Loathing and longing both filled him; he was   
haunted by the very same emotions that had swept over him   
the moment he had first laid eyes upon Anshii's familiar   
visage. "My dear lady, I am what remains of the fallen   
Champion."  
  
Another shudder ran through her at the dusky-skinned lord's   
words. (Could he really be?) But even as she asked herself   
that, part of her recognized the truth of his statement.   
"What happened?"  
  
"The world happened. Too much hated filled it; the burden   
was too much. The Champion grew ill, and though Love did   
what she could, even her most desperate attempt failed," the   
Ebon Phoenix explained, his voice taking on a distant tone.   
"I am all that remains, cast out into the mortal realm, a   
fragment of my former self forever barred from the shining   
realms that were my home. And my beloved suffers eternally,   
the poisoned thorns of hatred tearing at her flesh."  
  
His words brought to mind a fleeting memory of a   
violet-haired woman caught in the thorny vines of cruel,   
deceptively beautiful roses. Utena gasped, struggling to   
bring forward the rest of the memory she knew was there.   
Urgency filled her and once again renewed her purpose to   
find the one who could wield Love's Honor. She turned and   
looked back up at him. "Why didn't you come to me, if you   
are what remains of the sword's owner?"  
  
"There are those would do what they could to detain me from   
the power I used to wield," Akio said. "I've had to wait   
until I was strong enough to meet the challenge."  
  
The lowlander nodded. His explanation made sense,   
especially in light of the knowledge that the former   
Champion had been weakened before his fall.  
  
"And with your quest, you kept those who would oppose me   
busy." Akio smiled down to her, once again meeting her   
innocent gaze. Desire won over anger; determined to win   
over this now-mortal maiden, he thought over how he could   
fulfill the prophesy and keep the lovely girl for himself.   
His weaker half was besotted with her, but Akio doubted if   
that other part was even aware of the reasons behind his   
attraction. (What a lovely slap in the face it would be,)   
the Phoenix thought. "But the time has come for me to claim   
what is rightfully mine."  
  
"But what of the tests of Virtue? Why was I told to seek   
the one that held those traits dear?" Utena asked in   
confusion. All along she had thought that it was her quest   
to find a man worthy to wield the sword, that man proving   
his worth by passing her tests. Was she so wrong? Was she   
instead supposed to be searching for *the* man that was what   
remained of Love's Honor's former owner?  
  
"They were meant to give substance to your quest," the   
lavender haired chieftain answered. "Your task was a   
diversion, giving me time to ready myself to reclaim my   
power. Now I am ready, and I need your help, my dear lady."  
  
She hesitated, uncertain. Had she been misguided then?   
Should she have somehow known that the Ohtori prince was the   
one she sought? Yet even as that thought crossed her mind,   
she somehow knew that her discovery of Lord Touga was   
correct, that he too had a claim to Love's Honor. She   
turned her gaze back to the game trail they were following.   
"Where are we going?"  
  
"To a place where I can regain my lost power. Will you aid   
me?"  
  
"Don't you need to return to the Rose Gate and ask for the   
sword?" Utena realized even as she queried her captor that   
she had no idea if the Red Tyger had been judged worthy.   
But if what Lord Akio was saying was correct, her quest had   
only been to lead others from the trail of discovering the   
weakened remains of the Champion. No matter how much her   
heart wished to see Lord Touga the Champion of Love, it was   
never meant to be. That thought alone saddened her as well   
as gave her a feeling of unease she couldn't explain.  
  
Akio smiled again, sensing her slow acceptance of his words.   
How lovely she would be as the jewel among his possessions.   
He would be certain that she repaid him for all the   
suffering Love had caused her Champion. "I already have   
Love's Honor in my grasp, my beloved lady," he softly   
purred, leaning close to her ear as he uttered the words.  
  
"But I gave the key -- "  
  
"Do you think that I, what remains of the Champion himself,   
would not have my own way back to the place I called home?"   
Akio gently asked.  
  
Utena shivered with the feel of his warm breath against the   
sensitive skin of her neck. She felt overwhelmed, drowning   
in sensations she could barely understand. An odd thought   
crossed her mind; Touga effected her in much the same way   
but only in a more pleasant manner. "N-no," she stammered,   
"it makes sense that you would have a key." Yet a voice   
within her reminded her that the Champion had only one   
symbol, and she had carried it for long years.  
  
She was bending, but there was still a core of steel. Akio   
wanted her full cooperation; the totality of the conquest   
would make the irony all that sweeter. Love had taken the   
Champion's own power and had cut from her beloved the   
darkness she had believed was poisoning him. In doing so,   
she had created the three of them -- Archetype, Light and   
Shadow -- two of which had fallen into the cold realm of the   
mortals. And in her grief, she had shattered as well, the   
first part caught in her never-ending torment, a second part   
remaining among the roses while the third followed her love   
into the harsh world of the flesh.  
  
For aeons, Love had been the mistress, her Champion there to   
do her bidding. Now he would see to it that not only would   
his weaker half never again threaten his existence, he would   
be the master between himself and what remained of Love.  
  
"Let me show you something, beloved lady," the Phoenix   
murmured, breathing in the scent of her pink-hued hair.   
Faintly, she smelled of the roses that Love had so adored.  
  
"Show me what?" the lowlander noble asked.  
  
Akio straightened in the saddle, pulling to him strands of   
glamour from the very aether around them. After fleeing the   
chilling presence of the Arisugawa chieftain -- and he   
wondered how she had managed to effect him so -- he had used   
his magic to disperse his mercenaries back home knowing that   
he would be able to travel faster alone. When the   
black-clad men had emerged from the fog, they had found   
themselves on the edge of the woods bordering the Clan   
Ohtori fields. Now he would weave that same magic again and   
open a way through Faerie to reach another place in the   
physical world. But on the way there he would show her   
something he guessed would win her to his side. "Watch."  
  
She did as he commanded, her aquamarine gaze sweeping over   
the area around them. The very air seemed to tingle around   
her and she had the impression of her captor concentrating   
on something. The forest around them changed subtly, taking   
on visual textures and deep hues that seemed to be grander,   
more perfect. No longer did they ride through the woods;   
they now traveled through the archetype of all forests   
everywhere. The sky was the most perfect of skies, the   
clouds the very epitome of such objects, and even the earth   
beneath the white stallion's hooves was the essence of all   
soil. All others were merely imperfect reflections of this   
place.  
  
They rode along a bend in the game trail, finding their   
surroundings suddenly open up into a flowered meadow. Roses   
grew everywhere, the same blood red as those within the Rose   
Arbor. The scent of them hung in the air, as much the   
archetype of rose perfume as the flowers were of their   
earthly cousins. Onward they traveled while the meadow   
shifted into something new with a fluidity that defied the   
physics of the mortal world. Utena glanced up for a moment   
at the highland chieftain's handsome face; Akio seemed   
undisturbed by the behavior of their surroundings.  
  
Greyness closed in; what she could see of the area around   
them faded to an unearthly nothingness. No longer able to   
discern anything other then unending gloom, the young   
warrioress fought against an impulse to huddle up against   
the dark-skinned man holding her. She was still a captive   
despite his revelation that he was the one she had sought   
for so long.  
  
Then came light, and with it a sense of an almost-forgotten   
memory. Sea-blue eyes blinked; this was just like that   
other time, Utena realized. As before, a beam of pure white   
brilliance acted as a beacon. When they grew closer she saw   
one of the images that had haunted her for most of her short   
life.   
  
The bier of the fallen Champion stood there unchanged. The   
angelically beautiful man dressed as the most regal of   
princes remained lying there, the inside corner of his short   
cape a splash of vibrant red against the glowing white.   
Staring first at the unmoving Champion and then looking back   
at the Ohtori chieftain, she could see the resemblance. The   
same brown skin, the same pale hair with lavender   
highlights, the same stunning visage, though the Ebon   
Phoenix appeared older and less ethereal and sported longer   
locks. There could be no doubt that Lord Akio had somehow   
once been the very same man lying there dead on the bier.   
"But how . . .?"  
  
"How is it that I am here and the fallen Champion remains?"   
Akio responded, staring down at the form clad in white, gold   
and scarlet. "All that is here is an empty shell, that part   
that is always and forever. The soul within has fled, too   
weakened by hatred to survive here in this realm."  
  
"W-would he live again were you to die?"  
  
"That is an answer I do not know. Perhaps. Perhaps I will   
merely go on to that fate that awaits all mortals in their   
end."  
  
Utena frowned as his words invoked a feeling within her.   
No, she wouldn't let that happen. How could she let that   
happen? The Champion had promised to always be there for   
his beloved spirit of Love. He couldn't just fade to   
nothing. "If you had your power back, what then?"  
  
"Then, my beloved lady, I would be more certain to once   
again inhabit the empty shell of the Champion left behind   
when this mortal coil has lost its hold upon me," Akio   
answered. He inwardly smiled as he sensed the beautiful   
maiden's will bending just that much more. To possess her   
would be quite the feat, though he lusted far more for the   
power he had once wielded.  
  
Utena glanced back down to the unmoving figure on the bier.   
Twice now he had mentioned needing her help in order to   
regain his might. (Only Love's Honor can free her . . .)   
The voice echoing in her head, she lifted her gaze to the   
distance. A glow of red caught her attention and held it.   
"What of Love?" she asked, her voice a whisper.  
  
The stately Phoenix noted where his captive was staring. A   
flick of the reins and they were moving again, this time   
toward that ruddy glow. "So long as her beloved Champion   
remains an empty shell, she will be lost in torment."  
  
"But the sword is supposed to be the thing able to free   
her," the lowlander noble said in protest. She knew the   
voice she had heard as a child had been correct.  
  
"When wielded by the Champion of Love," Akio clarified.   
Pulling back on the reins, he gazed for a long moment at the   
image of the spirit of Love writhing among the gold and   
silver roses of hatred. Like her eternal lover, the essence   
of Amor had been broken into three. Here before them was   
the immortal Archetype, guilt and grief tormenting her while   
the enemy of all she stood for held her in its grasp. A   
second piece was Anshii, an empty shell used as an animate   
sheath to house the Champion's sword and to watch over that   
place that had been the home of Amor and her lover. And the   
third . . .  
  
The Ohtori prince shifted his gaze to look at the maiden in   
his arms, a smile lingering on his handsome face. So she   
had withered from grief, becoming weak enough that she too   
had fallen to the realm of men. Had she foolishly thought   
that she would be able to find the Light of the World merely   
by allowing a prison of flesh and blood to entomb her? How   
perfect it would be to keep her from ever reaching his   
weaker half, especially since she had already tried to   
destroy Akio before the fall.  
  
The sight brought tears to Lady Utena's eyes. Pity and pain   
washed over her, as did that same fierce desire to see the   
tortured woman freed that had so moved the lowlander as a   
child. The memory of that night came back to her fully from   
the realization that even the angels could die to the   
heartfelt vow to find the one that could release Love from   
her thorny prison. A sanguine tear rolled down Utena's   
cheek, stained by the luminescence bathing the dreadful   
scene, as she turned her gaze back to the one holding her.   
"W-what must be done to return your power? You *will* free   
her, won't you?"  
  
"She'll no longer suffer so when Love's Honor is truly   
mine," the Ebon Phoenix replied.  
________________  
  
"I refuse to believe that man and his entire party could   
just vanish into thin air," growled the Golden Panther as   
she leaned back against the Tsuchiya throne. In the absence   
of the clan's lord, she was occupying his seat as was her   
right as overlord. Juri glared at the door through which   
her latest retainer had disappeared, then frowned and looked   
at her guest.  
  
Seated next to the lady prince, Shiori glanced at her   
longtime friend's proud form. She felt much safer being   
near her liege lady; the Kiryuu chieftain and his remaining   
men as well as Lady Utena's two servants had all given her   
threatening stares during the ride back from the Rose Gate.   
For four agonizing days, the younger noblewoman had felt   
like she was the scum of the earth each time someone had   
looked at her in that manner.  
  
"You may refuse to believe it, yet that is apparently what   
has happened," Touga responded from where he was seated on   
the other side of the room. Strangely enough, ever since he   
had returned from the Rose Arbor he had discovered the   
Panther's presence to be painful. The closer in proximity   
he got, the more his entire body ached and his thinking grew   
cloudy. He had managed to perch upon a chair near the door,   
and since he eagerly looked up any time one of the Arisugawa   
or Tsuchiya entered the chamber, he suspected Juri thought   
him to be near the door to rush out were there news of the   
Ebon Phoenix's whereabouts. At least at this distance he   
felt nothing unusual; were he forced to sit closer, he knew   
he would be quite ill at ease. "Like it or not, Ohtori is   
using magic. And I'm certain that it's dark as well."  
  
"Regardless, I fear I must now consider Lord Ruka a loss,"   
Juri responded, feeling a stab of deep regret when the   
brunette noblewoman seated next to her drew in a shuddering   
gasp and then sobbed. Ignoring Shiori's silent weeping --   
which certainly broke her heart, but she refused to let it   
show -- the woman prince continued, "The Phoenix has all he   
wanted. I see no tactical reason for him to continue to   
hold my vassal. Were it me, I would execute the man."  
  
"I fear you're correct, my lady prince," the Red Tyger said.   
"All that remains is to avenge Lord Ruka if he no longer   
lives, as well as wrest Love's Honor and Lady Utena from   
Ohtori's grasp." How he hoped and prayed that the   
pink-haired warrioress was safe. It had taken four days to   
return to the fortress on the outskirts of the   
Arisugawa-ruled lands, and still no word on where the   
Phoenix had gone or what he had done with his latest   
captive. Still, worrying about it was going to achieve   
nothing.  
  
"Aye, but first we need to find Ohtori before we can do even   
that," Juri said.  
  
Touga nodded, brushing aside a stray lock of his long,   
scarlet hair from his face. What he would give to be able   
to locate the Phoenix as easily as Ohtori seemed to be able   
to locate the Kiryuu clansmen. He started to respond to the   
other chieftain when something came upon him. His vision   
darkened, the whole of the physical world fading away down a   
tunnel. When he could see again, he found himself standing   
in a place devoid of all landmarks, the surrounding area a   
featureless grey. He glanced about himself in confusion.   
"Where am I?"  
  
"You are in a place beyond all places where there is no   
time," answered a voice behind him.  
  
The Kiryuu prince turned around and discovered the figure of   
the regally gowned rose tender standing there. "Why am I   
here?"  
  
Anshii walked forward, her expression as wooden as he   
recalled. "Through my mistake, Shadow has its hands on the   
power of the Champion. I mean to rectify that before all is   
lost."  
  
When the violet-haired woman strode past him, Touga followed   
after her in silence, willingly waiting to see what the   
dark-skinned Fey would do. Their surroundings shifted   
around them; two sources of light appeared -- one purest   
white, the other blood-red. Within the center of each was a   
figure. The brighter radiance surrounded the figure of a   
princely man of unearthly beauty lying in state upon a white   
marble bier. Touga immediately noticed the resemblance   
between the short-haired dead man and the long-haired Ohtori   
prince, though he was far more puzzled by the sense of   
recognition and sorrow that filled him at the sight.   
Glancing away from the fallen Champion -- for that man could   
be no other, he knew -- the Red Tyger stared at the horrible   
sight of the spirit of Love.  
  
She was beautiful, a more perfect image of the rose tender   
at Touga's side. In fact, the Kiryuu chieftain had the   
strong impression that Anshii was merely the distorted   
reflection of Amor. Bathed in crimson light, her nude form   
surrounded by clawing vines of deceptively gorgeous roses,   
the one who was the epitome of the Virtues of Love stood   
helpless in the grasp of the cruel thorns that tore at her   
dusky-skinned flesh. To see her so reduced made his heart   
ache. He had to do something to free her from her torment.  
  
As if she had read her companion's mind, Anshii said, "Only   
when Love's Honor is again wielded by her Champion will she   
be released. She took the Champion's power from him and   
used it against him to cut away that which she thought was   
poisoning him. She didn't understand that what she sensed   
was an integral part of her love and that he could not   
survive without that part of him. In trying to save him,   
she destroyed him instead. Guilt tore her to pieces, the   
thorns poisoned by hatred -- both of herself and her lack of   
trust in her beloved. But grief overwhelmed her, and her   
soul has fled, leaving behind an empty shell and what you   
see here, that part of her that is eternal."  
  
Mouth slack in awe, Touga remained speechless, his gaze   
remaining fixed on the sight of Amor. This, then, was what   
the little girl Utena once was had seen? This was the   
memory that drove her to risk everything to find the one to   
wield Love's Honor? He certainly understood now why the   
lowlander was so driven, but he somehow knew that there was   
something more to her motivation then just this sight.  
  
Voices interrupted his thoughts, pulling his attention away.   
He stifled a gasp as he recognized the two mounted on the   
white charger -- Akio sat astride in the saddle, Utena held   
in his arms and sitting awkwardly sidesaddle -- certain that   
they weren't there before in that position between the   
fallen Champion and the tormented Love. A look of   
determination crossed his face as he started to run toward   
them.  
  
A slender, dusky-skinned arm barred Touga's way. "Patience.   
They are not aware of us here, for I am keeping us shielded.   
Listen and you will learn where he intends to go."  
  
"How do you know what he plans?" the redheaded chieftain   
softly asked, surprised.  
  
"There is still a connection between him and me. I know   
what's in his mind," Anshii replied.  
  
Touga nodded. He was alone and in a realm he little   
understood, drawn here by something beyond his control. The   
scarlet-maned chieftain recognized the wisdom in Anshii's   
words, and he trusted the Fey despite having only truly met   
her earlier that same day. He would be foolish to start a   
conflict alone in what could possibly be the Phoenix's home   
ground. It would be better to wait and take on the Ohtori   
prince in a realm Touga better knew. Concentrating, he   
strained his ears to catch the sounds of the distant   
conversation.  
  
"What must be done, then, to make Love's Honor truly yours?"   
Utena asked, her attention still on the man holding her in   
his embrace.  
  
"In the realm of man, there is a certain place where Faerie   
and the mortal lands meet. Northwest of the Rose Gate, on a   
hill bare of trees, there stands a circle of stones upon the   
crown of the rise. Down below at the foot of the same hill   
is a single stone facing west. To the mundane, this place   
is known as the Circle of Whispering Knights, and it has   
within it the magic needed to unlock the Champion's power to   
me," Akio replied while he and Utena rode away from the   
tragic scene of Love and her Champion.   
  
The faintest look of dismay fleetingly crossed Anshii's   
placid face. What remained of Love within her cringed at   
the realization of what the shadowed half of her beloved had   
planned. Turning to the man standing there at her side, the   
rose tender spoke. "I must return you to your mortal self.   
Once there, I urge you to hurry to this place the Champion's   
Shadow has named. There is a prophesy about Love's Honor   
that must not be fulfilled. If ever the sword, while within   
a circle of traitors, tastes the blood of one who is without   
hatred, its power for caring shall wither and a new power of   
unyielding hatred shall grow in its place. The blade shall   
become a tool that may only be mastered by the most jaded of   
hearts."  
  
Touga stared at her, uncertain what to think. All he could   
concentrate on were the words he'd heard Lady Utena spoke.   
No, he refused to believe that the maiden's search for a new   
Champion was a farce and that he never had a chance to claim   
the magic sword in defense of clan and home.  
  
Reading the emotions within the mortal whose flesh now   
housed the Light of the World, the violet-haired Fey   
hastened to reassure the highland chieftain. "No, Lord   
Touga, you have not been mislead. You hold the right to   
bear the power of the Champion. Your lady is in grave   
danger. The Shadow of the Champion seeks to turn her faith   
against her. Remember, should Love's Honor taste the blood   
of one without hatred while in a circle of traitors, it will   
forever be a tool of hatred, not Love."  
  
Before the young lord could respond, the world seemed to   
swirl around him. There was a moment of darkness and then   
he discovered himself once more sitting in the chair near   
the door to the Tsuchiya throne room. Pressing a hand to   
his forehead, Touga willed away the lingering dizziness.  
  
"My lord, have you heard a single word I've said over the   
course of the last few moments?" Juri asked in frustration.   
For a good while, the other chieftain had sat there as if   
stunned, neither moving, speaking nor even blinking. Such   
behavior wasn't normal and it put the Golden Panther on   
edge.  
  
"No, I haven't, my lady prince, and I apologize for the lack   
of consideration," Touga readily admitted. Fixing the other   
chieftain with his dark azure gaze, he asked, "Do you know   
the location of a place called the Circle of the Whispering   
Knights?" The name was one vaguely familiar to him.   
However, he had no precise idea where the hill with the   
standing stones was located, given that these lands were an   
entire week's journey to the north from his own holdings.  
  
The sunset-maned warrioress frowned slightly at receiving no   
explanation from her guest. Watching him rise from his   
chair, her expression shifted to a questioning one. "Aye.   
Due south from here, rather close by in fact, is the hill   
upon which rests that circle. What are you doing?"  
  
"I must go there. Lady Utena is in danger and that is where   
Ohtori's taking her even as we speak," Touga responded.  
  
The Golden Panther stared at the other highlander. Such an   
abrupt and firm declaration coming so soon on the heels of   
the Tyger being unresponsive. What had just happened?   
"Just how do you know this?" she asked.  
  
"I just know. Excuse me, my lady prince. I must be going   
now."  
  
Noting that the other chieftain was determined, Juri stood   
as well. She was going to make the Phoenix pay for   
everything he had done so far. "Allow me to accompany you   
with some of my men. The more facing the Phoenix, the   
better. And I can guide you to the exact location of the   
Whispering Knights."  
  
Pausing at the door, Touga glanced back at the angelic   
woman. He smiled. "I'll appreciate any assistance you give   
me, my lady prince."  
________________  
  
Akio rode onward through the dreamlike realm of Faerie.   
Emerald eyes narrowed in annoyance as the charmed ring upon   
Lady Shiori's person warned him of the highland chieftains'   
plans. He would need troops to counter the mortals, ones   
that could hold up to the frost of Prince Juri's presence.   
There wouldn't be enough time to reach the circle alone and   
do what needed to be done without risking the humans   
interfering. The landscape shifted around them again,   
resolving into arid plains of parched and cracked earth   
shrouded in perpetual shadow.  
  
Glancing about herself, Utena shuddered at the forbidding   
air of their new surroundings. "What is this place?"  
  
"Fear not, dear lady," Akio murmured. "You are safe as long   
as you are with me. I've come to gather warriors to protect   
us against those who would stop me from regaining my power."   
Calling for his stallion to halt, the Ebon Phoenix lifted a   
hand. "Arise, minions of the Shadow. Heed my call and come   
forth!"  
  
The rose-haired maiden stifled a gasp as the ground around   
them began to tremble. From the cracks seeped up formless   
globs of darkness, hanging over the arid land like   
ever-shifting shade. Clods of parched soil lurched   
drunkenly as umbral forms erupted from its cold embrace.   
Aquamarine eyes wide in fright, Utena watched as a pack of   
enormous, lean-legged hounds of an unearthly black-green hue   
shook off the dirt and let loose a mournful howl. Larger   
lumps in the infertile land exploded outward as a handful of   
tall, flabby, obese ogres with wart-covered black skin and   
massive tusks protruding from their lower jaws rose from the   
earth. "I don't understand. Why beings such as these?"   
Utena questioned, alarmed. Something was dreadfully wrong.   
The Champion of Love shouldn't have dealings with Fey of   
this ilk.  
  
"They are fierce warriors. They will see to it that nothing   
disturbs us," the Ohtori prince replied. Sensing the girl's   
resolve to assist him fading, he turned his attention to   
her. "You have worked for this moment nearly all your life.   
Will you lose your courage now that it's almost at hand?"  
  
"No, but I don't understand," Utena replied, shaking her   
head slightly. This wasn't right. The Champion fought   
against the denizens of the shadows . . .  
  
"Those who oppose me will stop at nothing. So I have called   
forth fighters I know will be able to deal with whatever my   
enemies try," the lavender-haired chieftain answered. "I am   
still too weak to face their full might alone. This is the   
most desperate hour, and we must do all we can to ensure we   
succeed."  
  
Glancing at the gathering dark Fey, the lowlander noblewoman   
swallowed hard. He had a point, but she could not stop   
thinking that things were terribly wrong.  
  
"Hold true to your faith in Love and its Virtues," Akio   
said, leaning forward so that his lips were a scant distance   
from his captive's ear. "And hold to your courage. What   
must be done will test us all, but Love will no longer   
suffer when it is over. You do want to continue to help   
free her from her pain, do you not?"  
  
"Of course," Utena replied, her voice taking on an angry   
tone. Did he believe her capable of going back on her word?  
  
"Good. Listen close, my dear lady." While the ogres,   
vicious hounds and shades circled around them, grunting and   
snarling in impatience, Akio murmured, "These Fey will   
merely encircle the hill upon which the stones stand. They   
will do nothing unless someone attempts to pass them. Once   
you and I are within the circle, all that remains to be done   
is to draw some of your blood with the blade of Love's   
Honor."  
  
Startled, Utena blinked then pulled back in order to stare   
at the gorgeous man. "What do you mean?" she demanded.  
  
"The spirit of Love took the Champion's power from him and   
turned it against him. In order to free the sword from the   
curse of being its master's destruction, it must taste the   
blood of one without hatred. You, my dear lady, have   
striven to uphold the Virtues of Amor; you are one without   
the taint of hatred. All it would take would be one small   
cut."  
  
His words reminded her of the sacrifice of that life-giving   
fluid she had asked of Lord Touga. He too had been given   
the demand to let a magic item taste his blood. Was she   
less courageous then the redheaded prince she had come to   
know and adore?  
  
No, she was not. She knew this with all her heart. "Very   
well," she said, determined to do what it would take to save   
Amor from her agony.  
  
Akio merely grinned.  
________________  
  
Still galloping forward at full speed, Prince Juri and Lord   
Touga broke from the trees, the thirty-odd Arisugawa and the   
remaining half-dozen of the Kiryuu warriors riding in their   
wake. With a shout, the woman prince ordered her clansmen   
to spread out and search for any sign of Lord Akio; tugging   
on the reins, Juri scanned over the site with her turquoise   
gaze.  
  
Shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun, Touga looked   
up toward the crest of the hill. At the moment, he had   
stopped near the massive, faintly purple-blue menhir   
thrusting upward toward the sky from the ground at the   
western base of the hill. Though near his fellow chieftain,   
he felt the effects of her presence less being there in the   
lee of the standing stone.  
  
The other megaliths reached skyward as well, their enormous,   
roughly rectangular shapes shadows against the cloud-filled   
azure backdrop. Nothing was up there on the crest of the   
hill save the monolithic circle. "So this is the place?"  
  
"Aye. There's a legend attached to this circle," the   
Panther responded. "The one next to you is Prince Akira, a   
distant forefather of Lord Ruka. At a time when the   
Arisugawa and Tsuchiya were locked in a feud, Prince Akira   
and a group of his most trusted retainers traveled to this   
hill. Knowing that his horse was thirsty, the Tsuchiya   
chieftain went in search of water, leaving his retainers   
behind. What he didn't know was that his retainers had been   
bribed by the Arisugawa to turn on their lord. They   
gathered together in a circle on the top of the hill to   
discuss how to betray the prince.  
  
"But the prince had caught the eye of a Fey, and she fell   
madly in love with him. Curious about who this mortal could   
be, she slipped away from her hiding place and became   
invisible, walking among the handsome man's followers.   
Discovering that they were plotting to kill him, the Fey   
became visible and damned them all, turning them to stone   
where they stood. Prince Akira returned, stopping in fright   
where that stone next to you now stands. The Fey wanted him   
so badly that she carried him away to the Shining Realms,   
leaving that marker behind."  
  
(If the sword ever tastes the blood of one without hatred   
within a circle of traitors . . .) So that was why Ohtori   
was coming here. The stone circle on the top of the rise   
*was* a circle of traitors. Touga pointed to the ancient   
monuments. "Up there. Within the group of those who would   
betray their prince is where he means to make the sword   
his," the Kiryuu chieftain said.  
  
"There's no one up there," Juri remarked.  
  
"Perhaps we've arrived before he has," Touga suggested.  
  
"It's been almost five days since we last saw him. He had a   
large lead on us. Maybe he's been and gone?"  
  
"No, I don't think so. I'm certain he retreated to Faerie,"   
the Red Tyger said in reply. "Time has no meaning there.   
What could seem to be an hour may turn out to be only an   
hour, or a day or even a year in the mortal realm."  
  
"If you think I'm going to camp at this place for a year --   
" Juri began, only to break off as one of her men rode up to   
report. She listened for a moment, then sent the Arisugawa   
warrior on his way to relay an order back to the others.   
Turning her attention to the redheaded highlander, the woman   
prince faintly smiled. "No sign of him at the moment. I've   
given the order to surround the circle. If he needs to do   
whatever it is he thinks he must do within the stones, he'll   
have to go through us."  
  
"A sound plan," Touga agreed.  
  
The tangerine-haired chieftain gave her peer a curt nod,   
then tapped her heels to the flanks of her charger. The   
exquisite animal cantered up the hillside while the clan   
warriors spread out to encircle the rise at the crest of the   
grassy slope just outside of the area of the menhirs. Touga   
followed, signaling to both his men and Tatsuya to take up   
positions within the Arisugawa formation.  
  
Only moments later an unearthly howl broke the silence,   
making the highlanders shudder in dread. Scanning over the   
edge of the forest, Touga felt the rush of adrenaline as   
massive canines -- Fey hounds -- broke from the trees, lips   
bared in snarls and jaws dripping foam. A shout of dismay   
came from some of the men guarding the megalith-crowned   
hill. Blinking, Touga watched as a handful of enormous,   
ugly ogres followed the vicious dogs into the open; a   
rumbled command and the pack halted at the foot of the hill.  
  
From the forest next rode out the Ebon Phoenix himself, Lady   
Utena's slender form perched astride the white stallion's   
back in front of him. Glancing up, he noted the force   
arrayed in defense against him. (So the flow of time in   
Faerie has given the mortals long enough to regroup and   
oppose.)  
  
Juri glared down at the dark-skinned chieftain. "You've   
lost, Phoenix! We'll not allow you to reach the stones   
alive!"  
  
This wasn't how it was meant to be. Her eyes focused on the   
gallant redhead sitting astride his horse, Utena felt a   
nameless dread at the thought of the Tyger and the Phoenix   
warring with one another. Only utter devastation could come   
of such an event. Though her mind told her that Love's   
Honor should go to Lord Akio since he was what remained of   
the sword's owner, her heart insisted on something else.   
Love's Honor belonged rightfully to the Kiryuu prince.  
  
"If you ever want to see your precious Lord Ruka again, I   
suggest you stand down and allow me to fulfill the   
prophesy!" Akio shouted back, taking the measure of the   
force opposing him. The dark Fey accompanying him should   
easily handle the humans, and he would enjoy dealing with   
the weaker half of himself.  
  
"Don't trust him," Touga responded, his words low and meant   
for the woman prince nearby.  
  
"I'm not about to," Juri cooly assured the other noble.   
Raising her voice, she called down, "You'll have to go   
through us to reach your goals, Ohtori!"  
  
"If you value the lives of the men who follow you,   
Chieftain, I suggest you let me pass!" Akio responded.   
"Otherwise what happens to them will be entirely upon your   
head! How well will you sleep at night knowing you allowed   
your clansmen, the ones that look to you for protection, to   
be torn asunder by the fangs of hounds and to be battered to   
oblivion by the power of my warriors? Defy me and find   
out!"  
  
In front of him, Utena stiffened. This was not how the   
Champion of Love should be, no matter how desperate things   
had become. Her sea-blue eyes were still focused upon the   
Kiryuu prince; he would not do this, but would rather   
negotiate. Force would be a last resort. Lord Akio seemed   
to be eager for a violent confrontation.  
  
The Arisugawa ruler hesitated, glancing to the men near her.   
Would she continue this and order her men to their deaths   
against the huge warriors and their slavering wolfhounds?   
How many would never return home alive?   
  
Touga noted the woman prince's uncertainty. Though a sign   
of a good ruler was to weigh the risks of a decision's   
consequences, hard choices still need to be made. "How many   
more will you lose should he gain the power he seeks, my   
lady prince?" the Red Tyger asked. "The ones here are   
warriors all, dedicated to the protection of land and   
family. They know the risks and take pride in their   
courage. If Ohtori isn't stopped here, you will also lose   
women, children, the defenseless of your clan." He knew   
that the half-dozen of his own warriors would take the risk   
willingly in the knowledge that they created a chance to   
keep the other Kiryuu safe from such danger.  
  
The redheaded chieftain was right. Juri pulled her sword,   
the sound ringing over the area and light glinting from the   
well-tended blade. "I will not bargain with you! Return   
Lord Ruka and Lady Utena and lay down Love's Honor, and be   
gone with you!"  
  
"So be it," the lavender-haired prince murmured to himself.   
Grasping his captive tight in the hold of a single arm, he   
turned his attention to the Fey under his command. Coldly,   
he ordered, "Destroy them all. Rip them to pieces. But   
save the Kiryuu prince for me. Now, go!"  
  
Snarls and howls filled the air as the dark-green-furred   
dogs were turned loose, their gangly legs covering ground   
far faster then any mortal hound. The amorphous umbras   
slithered along the ground, racing toward the small force of   
mortals at the top of the hill. Behind them came the   
lumbering hulks that were the black-skinned ogres, massive   
wooden clubs ready to smash to pieces the foolish humans   
that stood in their way.  
  
More swords were drawn as the Arisugawa and Kiryuu warriors   
readied for the imminent clash. Though many were terrified   
of the unearthly force racing their way, they knew they must   
make a stand here and now. To do otherwise would risk   
seeing these same creatures menacing wives, children, and   
all the others they held dear.  
  
Akio spurred his stallion into a full gallop with a shout.   
With the dark Fey leading the way, he should easily punch   
through the mortals' line and reach the ring of petrified   
traitors. Then it would only be a quick matter to corrupt   
the Champion's sword into a force of hatred; his power would   
be reachable then.  
  
Utena stifled a scream as the horse under her exploded into   
action. As they dashed up the rise, the furious sounds of   
battle washed over them. Horrified, the lowlander watched   
as one of the ogres swept a highlander from his horse with a   
powerful blow of a massive club; the doomed man was torn   
apart by the pack of Fey dogs before he had a moment to   
scramble to his feet.  
  
(This can't be!) This was not a defense of the virtues of   
Amor; this was wholesale slaughter by a force that   
overpowered its rivals. This was not the Champion of Love.   
Utena turned her gaze to the man holding her -- and she   
suddenly *knew* from deep within.  
  
This was Shadow. This was that part cut away from the Light   
and cast aside in the belief that the Shadow was the source   
of the illness.  
  
And the Light . . .  
  
The rose-haired maiden glanced to the side, her eyes   
instantly meeting those cobalt depths of the man known as   
Touga, Prince of the Kiryuu. And in that instant, she knew   
she had to act. Feeling Lord Akio's hold on her merely a   
steadying one, the slender warrioress twisted around and   
lurched forward. Strapped to the sheath attached to the   
Ohtori chieftain's saddle -- Lord Akio's usual sword   
occupying the scabbard at his hip -- the glittering hilt of   
Love's Honor beckoned like a ray of sunlight. Utena had   
noticed it there on their way through Faerie to this place   
after they had been joined by the dark Fey forces.  
  
Her hand connected with the ruby-adorned gold. Tugging   
back, Utena pulled the sword from its sheath; the blade   
reflected the ambient light as she sat upright. Spotting   
the scarlet-maned nobleman one more -- they were swiftly   
closing the distance -- the young noblewoman shouted,   
"Touga!"  
  
Akio hissed, thunderstruck, as the maiden within his grasp   
moved and was abruptly brandishing the Champion's sword. He   
made a grab for her upraised arm, but was a moment too late.   
With a desperate toss, Utena flung the magic sword in the   
Tyger's general direction.  
  
His attention caught by the lady's call, Touga watched in   
amazement as the glittering blade whirled lazily end over   
end through the air. Through fate, magic, luck, or all   
three, Love's Honor buried itself point first into the   
ground a scant arms length from where he sat astride   
Blizzard.  
  
How dare she! Akio growled in pure fury. Once again she   
had made her choice, favoring that weakling of the Light.   
Was she truly that blind to the fact that he, Shadow, was   
the only thing strong enough to survive in this world? From   
time immemorial, she had claimed to love all of him yet   
rejected the Shadow. Once again he was being cast aside.   
Well then. He would have his revenge. She was now mortal,   
after all.  
  
If she could not love him, he would not love her.  
  
A brilliant smile crossed Utena's face as she saw the   
Champion's weapon stab into the ground as if it were   
offering itself to its true master. The gold and ruby   
brooch glowed with the Light from where it sat fastened to   
Touga's shoulder. In that moment, she knew her tests were   
correct and that her quest had been successful.  
  
That smile disappeared, becoming one of purest shock.   
Burning pain filled the pink-haired maiden's awareness, a   
bloom of agony that swallowed the entire world. "Why?" she   
managed to choke out, though every breath was renewed   
torture.  
  
Akio dispassionately pulled the blade of his long dagger out   
of the slender maiden's back. "You tried to destroy me   
once. You've betrayed me yet again. Wallow in your hatred   
and guilt. It's a fitting destiny for you." His harsh   
words spoken, he shoved the girl from her perch.  
  
Touga looked on in horror as Utena fell to the ground at   
Akio's stallion's hooves. She lay there, unmoving, a   
spreading pool of dark red staining the cloth covering her   
back.  
  
  



	17. Chapter Sixteen

  
Chapter Sixteen  
  
"Utena!" The shout was a cry of outrage and desperation.   
Images flashed through Touga's mind of the beautiful woman:   
the first time he saw her when she was talking to the   
unicorn, her exquisite femininity the first moment he saw   
her gowned as befitting her station, her gracefulness when   
they had danced underneath the stars, her smile, her courage   
. . .  
  
To see her lying bloody upon the ground broke his heart. If   
there was any chance she yet lived . . .  
  
The Ebon Phoenix gave his rival a smirk. (I shall see that   
you are the one consigned to oblivion, Light of the World,)   
Akio vowed. With a shout that rang out over the din of the   
battle, the Ohtori prince spurred his stallion again into a   
full gallop. Pulling his sword from the scabbard slung from   
his belt, he raced toward the scarlet-haired prince,   
determined to cut the mortal down.  
  
No time for anything but defense. Touga lunged forward and   
pulled Love's Honor from the ground. The heft and weight of   
the sword were perfect; the hilt felt in his hand as if it   
were made solely for him. Blizzard burst into a gallop at   
his master's signal; the silver blade gleamed with reflected   
light as the Red Tyger rushed to meet his foe.  
  
(What are these things?) Juri asked herself while coming to   
a halt and scanning the battlefield. She had yet to truly   
connect with a blow against one of the enemy; every time she   
closed to attack, hound or churl swiftly retreated from her   
and turned their attention to another. Before her wondering   
eyes, she saw one of her men scream, then abruptly convulse   
and collapse. From the akimbo way his body landed, she knew   
the Arisugawa warrior was dead -- yet there had been no   
obvious attack.  
  
Tatsuya swallowed hard as he watched the flowing pool of   
shadow leave the body of the man it had engulfed. How could   
any of them fight against such an incorporeal enemy?   
Nearby, he heard the snarls of the spectral hounds, the   
feral growls of the ogres and the cries of the battling men.   
Though the highlanders were fighting valiantly, they were   
hardly a match for their Fey antagonists. One of the Kiryuu   
clansmen next to the lowlander man-at-arms was battered to   
the ground by a strike from a massive club. Shouting in   
fury, Tatsuya intercepted the trio of Fey hounds that raced   
to tear apart the fallen man while the ogre moved on to a   
more threatening target. Hack and slash, stab and tear, he   
fought off the canines while the sandy-haired warrior   
regained his senses.  
  
Cursing under her breath, the Panther chased after another   
of the giant men. Her followers were being slaughtered   
around her, yet none of the massive warriors or the mangy   
wolfhounds would stay near her long enough for her to do   
more then slash at the air where they had once been.   
Discovering that her pursuit was again in vain and noting   
that the youth that traveled with Lady Utena was in trouble,   
Juri wheeled her mount around and came to the lad's   
assistance. She skewered one of the lanky canines on her   
sword just as it made an impressive leap for Tatsuya's   
throat.  
  
Amazingly, the hound's body vaporized into a plume of black   
smoke. The Arisugawa prince stared at her blade, stunned.   
Maybe -- just maybe -- all the talk of Fey and magic and   
dark forces were more then mere tales to frighten the   
foolish and gullible?  
  
Steel rang out against steel as the two male chieftains   
clashed weapons and wills. A cold grin fastened upon his   
face, Akio swung again and again at the man holding the   
Champion's sword. Each slash drove his rival just that much   
further back; the Light of the World was as weak as the   
flesh that housed it. This would be easy, just as the   
Phoenix had known it would be. Only he was strong enough to   
survive; he had come into being out of necessity and had   
been cut out, thrown away. He would claim all that he was   
entitled and he himself would cast aside the Light, forever.  
  
The man's strength was astounding. Each blow fell hard and   
fast, beyond anything Touga had ever experienced. It was   
all the Red Tyger could do to parry or block the sword   
strokes threatening him; each counter sent vibrations down   
the length of the ruby-adorned weapon that made his arms and   
shoulders ache. Though years of training and conditioning   
had given Touga an endurance that easily saw him through   
most battles, the fight at hand was swiftly taking its toll.   
If there was power within Love's Honor, he had yet to tap   
into it. An exquisite blade on its own, it was merely a   
sword even in his own hand. The perfect balance only helped   
the Kiryuu prince conserve what endurance he had  
  
He parried another stunning blow; the scarlet-maned   
chieftain hissed in pain as the deflected blade of his   
opponent scored a superficial cut. Once again in the   
frantic contest, Touga pulled back on Blizzard's reins in an   
attempt to get some breathing space. Perhaps there was a   
key to fully awakening the sword that he was still missing.   
The Tyger glanced fleetingly at the circle of stones   
crowning the hilltop behind him. He had nothing to lose and   
everything to gain if he should try.  
  
Chaos reigned around the emerald hill. Ogres battered the   
mortals while the shades and dogs picked off those separated   
from defensive groups. Juri rode among them, forcing many   
of the enemy to retreat from her painfully cold presence and   
destroying those canines not fast enough to escape her   
righteous fury. Even the hulking forms of the wart-covered   
ogres felt the searing chill of her weapon, smoking at the   
sword's touch. The highlanders had begun to group together   
to better defend themselves, thus forcing the dark Fey into   
closing their ranks as well.  
  
Among the whirlwind of frantic action that covered the   
battlefield, a single form stood placidly on the hillside.   
Her body clad in the royal gown, the sun-ray tiara crowning   
her loose locks of flowing violet hair, Anshii stood over   
the body of the fallen warrioress. With her hands clasped   
in front of the voluminous skirt, the rose tender looked   
demurely down at the wounded maiden.  
  
A hand stirred and fingers clenched. A cough made the   
rose-haired girl's body shudder and more bright blood fell   
to stain the grass. Arm trembling, Utena fought against the   
pain and the sensation of drowning, willing herself to   
remain conscious. (Touga . . .) With a lurch, she managed   
to get her hand under herself though the effort forced up   
more of the sanguine liquid filling her lungs. The world   
blackened around her as her body spasmed in the throes of   
the fit.  
  
It quickly passed. Raising herself up on a quivering arm,   
Utena lifted her head and searched for the man she had come   
to love.  
  
Yes, love. It was an emotion from not only the here and now   
but from ages ago. The hold of her flesh on her spirit was   
weakening, and with that relaxation of her prison came an   
awareness of what she once was. She had dwelt within that   
timeless realm, her beloved roses scenting the air and   
making a bower of beauty fit for herself and her lover.   
They had always been together, matched in perfect   
partnership and bound to one another in the deepest   
mysteries of the Sacred Marriage. Just as all men were   
reflections of her Champion, all women were reflections of   
herself. And her Champion traveled among the world to bring   
it the Light of Amor.  
  
But hatred had seeped into the world, and the Light was   
slowly dimmed. She had tried all within her power to cure   
her beloved of the illness that threatened to swallow up the   
Light. Nothing worked. At the last, she had taken from her   
lover -- her partner, her equal -- the focus of his own   
power and had turned the blade against him. Her own hand   
had slashed him apart in an attempt to excise the growing   
illness.  
  
He had not survived. Though she had acted out of love and   
desperation, she had destroyed him.  
  
Utena watched through tear-filled eyes as Akio and Touga   
fought near the ring of monoliths. Her heart and soul in   
almost as much agony as the body of mortal clay that was her   
prison, she understood the dusky-skinned prince's words.   
She had brought this about by cutting apart the Shadow of   
her Champion from the Light; now the two fought not only for   
the right to wield the Champion's power but for dominance   
within his existence.  
  
The Shadow was stronger. She could see how easily he was   
directing the conflict against his other half, how he played   
with the mortal the Light of the World had become.   
"Together, beloved," the rose-haired maiden whispered before   
collapsing upon the ground.  
  
Touga pulled hard on the reins; Blizzard whirled to the   
right and cantered, putting some distance between his master   
and the Ebon Phoenix. Standing stones were often gateways   
into Faerie. Even if the Whispering Knights were ancient   
traitors, the ring itself may be what was needed to bring to   
life the latent power of Love's Champion. The Kiryuu prince   
encouraged his mount to accelerate into a full sprint with a   
shout and a tap of his heels; horse and rider headed   
straight for the megalithic structure.  
  
While the remaining mortals were still locked in their   
desperate struggle against the minions of the Shadow, Akio   
growled and gave chase. All could be lost if his weaker   
half was able to find a way to make the dead Champion's   
energy stir to wakefulness.  
  
Too late. The scarlet-haired human entered the embrace of   
the menhirs and Love's Honor reacted to the presence of the   
Light of the World.  
  
Calm filled Touga's awareness, brushing aside the hurt and   
exhaustion. That brilliant whiteness he had touched once   
before flared through him, consuming him, giving him insight   
and skill born of the ages. Gone were the lines of   
weariness and pain; the prince's expression became one of   
infinite tranquility. As he pointed the weapon skyward, the   
silvery blade exploded into a fountain of brilliant white   
light.  
  
The radiance burst through the ring of ancient stones and   
washed over the battlefield. Everywhere the whiteness   
touched one of the dark Fey, that creature disappeared in a   
howl of unearthly agony. Those few who escaped the pure   
brilliance of the Light fled for the sheltering shade of the   
forest. To a man, the remaining mortals shielded their eyes   
from the beautiful but almost unbearable sight. Tatsuya   
stood in awe as he saw what he swore was a nebulous, ghostly   
figure overlapping Lord Touga's form. As the Kiryuu   
chieftain lowered the sword first to the side then lifted it   
to a defensive position across his chest -- the blade cut   
the air in arcs of light -- the young man-at-arms saw the   
radiant spirit mimic the movements.  
  
Akio narrowed his eyes against the blinding sight. So the   
Light was fully awakened . . . No matter. He would still   
conquer and be all that remained of the fallen Champion.   
(The world has beaten that weakling once before, and I am   
far stronger than that!)  
  
Cobalt blue eyes sprang open, the light of ages shining in   
their depths. The infinitely patient being that wore the   
look of the Kiryuu prince waited with Love's Honor held in a   
ready pose while the Shadow of the Champion raced toward   
him. The moment Lord Akio crossed the boundary of the   
megalithic ring, the white illumination strengthened into a   
blaze that rivaled the sun.  
  
The remaining mortals shouted in awe and terror as the   
brilliance forced them to look away or be blinded. Even the   
normally skeptical Panther could not deny that something   
beyond the ordinary was taking place. When the light   
suddenly disappeared, it took the span of a few heartbeats   
for those remaining on the battlefield to realize that it   
had gone.  
  
So too were the Phoenix and the Tyger; their horses galloped   
out of the stone circle devoid of their riders. Gone also   
was the fallen form of the lowlander noblewoman -- and the   
mysterious queen-like figure standing watch over Utena's   
body.  
  
Juri shook her head, uncertain what to think. The Arisugawa   
prince quickly dismissed it and turned her attention to   
picking up the pieces. If this was merely a lull in the   
battle, she and those still alive and able needed to be   
prepared for the next onslaught.  
________________  
  
Light and Shadow opposed each other as day and night amid a   
sanguine sea of roses. Flanking them to either side were   
the bier of the dead Champion from which they had fallen,   
and the thorn-torn figure of Love herself to the other.   
Huddled among the flowers at Love's feet lay the   
bloodstained form of Lady Utena, chest heaving as she fought   
for breath.  
  
Akio lunged at his nemesis, determined to maintain the   
momentum he had gained. Touga easily parried the blade   
seeking his abdomen, knocking it swiftly to his right. The   
Light brought his blade back to the left in a slash at the   
Shadow's exposed chest. Akio leapt back a pace. Love's   
Honor scored the air where the Shadow had been, the weapon   
making a breeze that stirred the Phoenix's lavender mane.  
  
Unwilling to allow himself to be put on the defensive, Akio   
pressed forward once more, seeking to bind his blade against   
the Champion's own steel. Touga met his charge and the air   
resonated with the collision of metal. Eyes full of   
seething hate met a gaze of serenity as the men strove each   
to press the other back. Without warning Akio lifted his   
forward foot and shoved it into his foe's gut, sending the   
Kiryuu chieftain reeling.  
  
As Touga fell back he knew Akio would seek to immediately   
capitalize on his advantage. When the Shadow rushed forward   
once more Touga twisted aside, letting Akio's momentum carry   
him past. The dark Fey prince stumbled as he failed to meet   
the expected resistance. Quickly regaining his balance, the   
Phoenix turned to face his opponent.  
  
Again their eyes met, and wills clashed as steel had a   
moment before. (I will kill him,) Akio swore, allowing his   
mounting infuriation with Touga's passive expression to add   
fuel to the fire that drove him.  
  
But as the heat in the Ohtori prince's eyes rose, the   
glacial calm of his opponent transformed into the utter   
immovability of a mountain. More certain than ever before   
that he would not be defeated, Touga felt no fear. Light   
would defeat Shadow and Love would be renewed.  
  
Tension mounted between the opposing forces over a   
stretching eternity before, howling like some primordial   
beast, Akio surged forward to meet his opposite number.   
Again and again the Fey's steel and Love's Honor met and   
recoiled, slashed and stabbed. Every blow was parried;   
every riposte knocked aside. Back and forth, side to side   
they moved, day and night dancing amid that flowery sea.  
  
Akio drove a fearsome stab at Touga's eyes in a sudden   
desperate gamble. The Kiryuu prince retreated. Neither man   
could overcome the other. Something had to give. Worry   
began to trickle across the edges of Touga's calm certainty;   
frustration was writ large across the dusky face of the   
Shadow. Just as the battle was about to be enjoined once   
more, the Light of the World heard a single word.  
  
(Together.)  
  
With that voice came a spectral embrace; love, acceptance,   
passion, a perfect togetherness without end wrapped   
themselves around him, adding to his strength. Before his   
wondering gaze, the blade of Love's Honor was enveloped in a   
glimmering, rose-pink light.  
  
Emerald eyes widened in shock. Akio took a step back as he   
realized the significance. For the first time since being   
cast aside, the Shadow feared for his own existence. "No .   
. ."  
  
Utena was with him; the Light's beloved -- his inspiration   
-- wielded Love's Honor in equal measure. Together they   
could undo the tragic mistake that had torn apart that   
balance between Love and her Champion.   
  
Now it was the Light of the World in control, his powerful   
strokes and swift lunges forcing Akio back. Struggling to   
merely defend himself, the Ebon Phoenix kept retreating from   
the combined force attempting to bend him to its will. Each   
slash of that glowing pink blade before his eyes made his   
terror increase; his arms ached from the resounding power   
behind each blow he parried. Steel rang out loudly as Touga   
forced his opponent to give way with every sweeping step   
forward taken. Akio barely countered a forceful lunge;   
losing his balance, the dark Fey fell to the rose-strewn   
ground.  
  
The Light of the World pounced upon the fallen Shadow,   
pinning Akio to the ground. Meeting the Phoenix's terrified   
gaze with his own peaceful, compassionate one, Touga lifted   
the glowing sword high above them both. "I claim you as my   
own once more, my Shadow, my passion, my strength."  
  
Akio wanted to cry out in denial, to plead for his continued   
existence as a separate entity, but the mesmerizing gaze of   
his other half froze him in place. Those deep azure eyes   
filled with all he was missing, all he ever longed for, were   
the last thing he ever saw.  
  
Touga reversed his hold on the sword. Love's Honor plunged   
down, severing the ties between the Champion's Shadow and   
the shell of flesh and blood. As darkness swirled around   
him, reintegrating itself to the fragment of the Champion   
within, the Kiryuu prince closed his eyes and lifted his   
head. The rose light surrounding the blade faded as Utena's   
presence around him withdrew. In a matter of moments, he   
was alone again -- but more whole then he had ever felt   
before.  
  
In the distance, cruel vines and hatred-tipped thorns fell   
away from the form of the spirit of Love. The sundering had   
been undone, her mistake rectified. Once more her partner   
was whole.  
  
Sighing deeply, the Champion of Love opened his eyes, then   
glanced momentarily at the shell that had once housed his   
darker aspects. A twinge filled him as that part of him   
brought to mind Kanae's agony at learning of her husband's   
fate. The least that could be done would be to return to   
the Ohtori heiress what remained of the man she had known;   
there would be closure for her then.  
  
Next his eyes fastened upon the white marble bier there in   
the middle of the field of roses. Walking the few paces   
distance, the Champion gazed down at the sight. (How odd,   
to be staring at my own body and to be aware that were I to   
look in the mirror, I would see a face not my own. No, this   
visage is mine as well, but . . .)  
  
Clad only in her gorgeous violet hair, Love watched with   
tears of joy in her eyes as her beloved gazed down on the   
incorruptible shell to which he would return in the fullness   
of time. The flesh still held him in its grasp, but what   
was once a prison could be an opportunity to experience so   
much. To be one of the dreamers instead of merely the dream   
. . .  
  
Leaf-green eyes then stared down at the body lying among the   
roses. Obligations remained, agreements needed to be   
fulfilled. The flesh called to her, drawing her back to its   
embrace. Love closed her eyes, accepting the familiar garb   
once more. Of all the virtues of Amor, trust was the most   
important. Lady Utena was trustworthy; she would not let   
those relying upon her down.  
  
He could not stay. Even in these few short moments after   
being made spiritually whole, that part of him known as the   
prince of the Kiryuu was reasserting itself. Honor and duty   
called; there were people in the mortal realm counting on   
him. Clad in flesh as he was, he would be better able to   
bring the Light of the World to all those in need -- he was   
now a part of that realm rather than an outsider seeking to   
influence it.  
  
And he needed to know if Lady Utena yet lived.  
  
Just as he was about to turn, a familiar presence made   
itself known. The same endless love surrounded the Champion   
as a pair of slender arms embraced him from behind. A smile   
on her face, Utena pressed a cheek against Touga's back.  
  
They stood there for an eternity with no need for words,   
only touch. They were together -- whole -- as they were   
always meant to be. She adored all of him, even the Shadow,   
and hoped she could be forgiven. He forgave her and   
returned that love. Around them, a warm breeze blew over   
the roses and sent a cloud of scarlet petals swirling about.   
Where that zephyr touched, the fragrant blooms changed to   
purest white.  
  
"We should return, beloved," Touga finally said, breaking   
the silence.  
  
"Aye," the pink-haired maiden replied. She gave him a   
momentary hug. "When we return, Love and her Champion will   
slumber once more."  
  
"I know," the Kiryuu chieftain answered while he turned to   
face her. He smiled down at her, overjoyed to see her there   
and apparently unharmed. "I look forward to the challenge   
of discovering this aspect of you, my love. Your quest is   
over. It's time to let Lady Utena just enjoy life."  
  
"And I look forward to discovering more about you," she   
responded, sea-blue eyes meeting his dark azure. "Though I   
have been impressed with what I've seen so far," the slender   
warrioress admitted.  
  
"I'm honored," Touga said, taking one of her hands in his   
and raising it to his lips to kiss the back. Once he   
released her, he slid Love's Honor into the scabbard at his   
side. His usual weapon had been dropped to the ground in   
favor of pulling the Champion's blade from the earth into   
which it had been stabbed.  
  
When he held out his hands to either side and offered her a   
warm hug, Utena willingly stepped forward into his embrace.  
________________  
  
"Prince Juri! Prince Juri, come quickly!"  
  
Coming awake, the Arisugawa chieftain growled at the   
annoyance. Against her better judgement, she had ordered   
the survivors to make camp at the foot of the   
megalith-adorned hill. Her sunset-hued locks falling loose   
like a tousled waterfall to her waist, the Panther took a   
moment to brush aside the strands tickling her face while   
she pulled herself from the bedroll and stood. "So what is   
it?" she asked of the man standing there.  
  
"You need to come up to the ring, my prince," the Arisugawa   
warrior insisted.  
  
Juri stifled a sigh and pulled her nearby cloak on over her   
battle-stained clothing. Of those that had rode out from   
Grove, only a third were not casualties of some sort. Half   
of the ones lost were dead, the other half suffering wounds   
that would probably cripple them for the rest of their   
lives. All were to be commended for facing -- and besting   
-- a foe beyond anything she had ever experienced before.  
  
Her clan had the greatest losses, but that had to be   
expected since the Arisugawa had been the largest of the   
group in numbers. Of the men from Clan Kiryuu, two were   
dead and one severely wounded, while the lowlander   
noblewoman's man was hurt but not seriously.  
  
Night had fallen hours after the argent blaze had engulfed   
the standing stones and driven off the uncanny foe the   
highlanders had faced. While waiting to see which of the   
battling princes would return, Juri had seen to it that the   
wounded were tended as best could be done out in the field   
and the dead buried. A glance to the campfire showed her   
that some of her men were on watch; a look to the sky gave   
her the impression that the hour was deep in the night.   
"Well, lead on, then," she ordered.  
  
The dark-haired warrior turned and strode off. Trailing   
behind him, the Golden Panther climbed the grassy rise,   
wondering darkly what it was she was being awakened to see.   
The moment she stepped between two of the massive, ancient   
granite stones, a voice greeted her.  
  
"Good morning, my lady prince."  
  
Juri blinked in surprise. Standing there in the very center   
of the circle was Lord Touga -- looking as proud and   
handsome as always -- his arms around the slender figure of   
Lady Utena. At their feet lay the obviously dead body of   
the aggressor, Lord Akio. So the Tyger had conquered after   
all.  
  
The Arisugawa chieftain cooly smiled. "I would never have   
forgiven you had you made me camp out here an entire year."  
________________  
  
The day was a glorious one, the springtime sunshine dancing   
among the boughs of the evergreen forest. The small   
procession made their way along the dirt trail, the warriors   
acting as guards chatting amiably amongst themselves. After   
all, home was only a short distance away.  
  
The center of the group was dominated by an ox-drawn wagon,   
the pair of massive wooden wheels rolling smoothly over the   
packed earth. Within the conveyance rode the one seriously   
injured Kiryuu, his condition remaining stable despite the   
travel. Arranged about the wagon were the remaining   
warriors while ahead of the lumbering animal pulling it rode   
Wakaba and Tatsuya. Once again the pair of lowlanders were   
holding a rather animated conversation.  
  
Touga glanced over to his side, smiling at the maiden riding   
next to him. They had spent much of the journey talking   
about all sorts of things, taking the time to get to know   
one another better. So far, he was quite impressed though   
there was one thing that bothered him.  
  
Utena felt her companion's eyes upon her once more. She   
returned his smile even as she thought back on all that had   
transpired since they had awakened to find themselves   
holding one another in the center of the Whispering Knights.  
  
Lord Ruka was dead, and had been since the day he had   
disappeared in the middle of winter. Touga carried within   
him memories from the part of the Champion that had been   
Lord Akio, and he had been able to relate to Prince Juri her   
vassal's fate. In scouting the lands around the Rose Gate,   
the Phoenix had come upon a stranger. The azure-haired man   
had challenged Akio's right to be there; in the ensuing   
battle, the Tsuchiya prince had been killed. Later   
recognizing who the man had been, the Phoenix had decided to   
use the situation to his advantage. Learning of Lady   
Shiori's almost obsessive devotion, he had talked the   
noblewoman into being his spy within the Tenjou entourage,   
pointing her to where she could meet up with the holder of   
the Champion's brooch. As had been discussed with Prince   
Juri, Shiori had disguised herself as a servant and had   
shown up at the Tenjou estate, begging to be given shelter.  
  
Touga had lead Prince Juri to the shallow grave out in the   
woods where the Ohtori prince had buried his victim. At the   
very least, Ruka was able to be interred with his ancestors   
and the Tsuchiya would go on to declare another prince.  
  
The news had broken Lady Shiori's heart. Though Touga was   
able to remove the ring from the brunette lady's finger and   
thus free Shiori from any lingering obligation to the Fey   
prince, nothing anyone could do had been able to lift the   
young noble's spirits. When they had left Grove, Lady   
Shiori was still shut away in her room wallowing in grief.  
  
Prince Juri had seen to it that Touga and Utena were   
well-provisioned for the journey ahead, though she was   
obviously affected by her childhood friend's grief.   
Pledging to them the Arisugawa's thanks and friendship, the   
Panther had stood on the battlements of the fortress and   
seen them off. The sunset-haired chieftain had also seen to   
it that the mortal remains of Lord Akio were taken back to   
the custody of his wife, Lady Kanae. Both Utena and Touga   
knew, deep within, that the Ohtori heiress deserved that   
much.  
  
Hopefully, the Phoenix's death would avert the upcoming   
conflict and the summer would be a peaceful one. The   
planting would be well underway by now, and it looked to be   
a good growing season so far. His mind on that, the Red   
Tyger asked, "My lady, how long has it been since you've   
been on your lands?"  
  
Utena blinked, startled by the question. "I've been away   
for a year and a half."  
  
"Now that all's said and done, it's probably time for you to   
oversee them for a while."  
  
"But you asked me to stay on as your guest . . ."  
  
The Kiryuu chieftain nodded. "Aye, I did, but I've been   
thinking. War's been averted, and you have no way of   
knowing how well your stewards are managing your lands. As   
the lady of the holdings, you have an obligation."  
  
"As do you," Utena pointed out.  
  
"True, but I have a sister to whom I can hand the   
chieftainship. Do you have any family that can oversee your   
people?"  
  
"No, but . . . Hand the chieftainship? Why would you?" the   
slender lowlander asked in astonishment.  
  
Touga gestured to the surrounding world. "I am the Champion   
of Love, the Light of the World. I have obligations that go   
beyond one clan, but I must see to the others or be   
untrustworthy. By divesting myself of the chieftainship, I   
can fulfill them all."  
  
The rose-haired maiden frowned in thought. He had a point.   
She too had promises to keep now that the one made so long   
ago had been discharged.  
  
Noting her expression, the scarlet-maned highlander smiled.   
"Fear not. One of the first things I shall do is help you   
see to it that your lands are well organized. From there,   
we can take it moment by moment. Besides, if I'm to be your   
husband in time, your people really need the courtesy of   
having me introduced."  
  
"Husband?" Utena asked, staring at him.  
  
Touga laughed. True, they were still coming to learn about   
one another, but the emotion they felt was one that   
transcended all of time. Neither one would be truly happy   
without the other.  
  
But that was a matter for another time, when negotiations   
could be made and contracts forged. For now, it was a time   
to just be grateful to be alive and in a world of such rich   
experience.   
  
FIN  
  
  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
This has been a blast to write. Starting with a sudden idea   
I got from reading a role-playing game scenario, it's been   
something of a whirlwind writing session for me, considering   
it's only taken me about two months to write it out. I hope   
you've enjoyed this romp through a land full of magic and   
liked seeing the Utena cast in these roles. I honestly   
think this is one of the best things I've written.  
  
Of course, it wouldn't be near as good were it not for my   
close friend/beta reader/editor, Corvus. Once again, he's   
helped me out in ways beyond merely how well I phrased this   
or that. I may have dug the diamond from the ground, but   
he's the one that's really made it shine.  
  
If you've wondered why I've not tied up *all* the loose   
ends, be assured that I plan another fic in this world in   
the near future. I've enjoyed the realm of Lord Touga and   
Lady Utena so much that I plan to make a return trip.  
  
Thanks again, dear readers, for taking the time to look over   
my work. C&C is always welcome and I can be emailed at   
diannasilver@hotmail.com  
  
  



End file.
